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UCSB    LIBRARY 
X-  Ufl  00 


THRILLING  NARRATIVES 


PIRACY, 


A    WEIRD    SERIES    OP 


Tales  of  Shipwreck  and  Disaster, 

FBOM  THB  EABLIEST  PART  OF  THE  CENTURY  TO  THE  PRESENT  TOO!, 
WITH  ACCOUNTS  OF 

Providential  Escapes 

AND 

HEART-BENDIM  FATALITIES. 


NEW  YORK: 

HTJKST   &   CO.,   PUBLISHERS, 
122  NASSAU  ST. 


PREFACE 

Shipwreck  may  be  ranked  among  the  greatest 
tevils  which  man  can  experience.  It  is*  never  void 
of  danger,  frequently  of  fatal  issue,  and  invariably 
productive  of  regret.  It  Is  one  against  which  there 
is  the  least  resource,  where  patience,  fortitude  and 
ingenuity  are  in  most  cases,  unavailing,  except  to 
protract  a  struggle  with  destiny,  which,  at  length, 
proves  irresistible. 

But  amidst  the  myriads  unceasingly  swallowed 
up  by  the  deep,  it  is  not  by  the  numbers  that  we 
are  to  judge  of  the  miseries  endured.  Hundreds 
may  at  once  meet  an  instantaneous  fate,  hardly 
conscious  of  its  approach,  while  a  few  individuals 
may  linger  out  existence,  daily  in  hope  of  succor, 
and  at  length  be  compelled  to  the  horrible  alternative 
of  preying  on  each  other  for  the  support  of  life. 
Neither  is  it  by  the  Narratives  about  to  be  given 
that  we  are  to  calculate  on  the  frequency  of  ship- 
wreck. It  is  an  event  that  has  been  of  constant 
occurrence  since  a  period  long  anterior  to  what  the 
earliest  records  can  reach.  In  England  it  is  calcu- 
lated that  about  5000  natives  of  the  British  Isles 
yearl)  peiish  at  sea. 

This  perpetual  exposure  to  peril,  however,  mate 
rially  contributes  to  the  formation  of  character,  and 
hence  are  sailors  preeminently  distinguished  by 
courage,  endurance,  and  ready  invention.  Habitu- 
ated to  the  instability  of  the  ocean,  they  make  little 
account  of  danger,  and  are  invariably  the  first  in 


ri  PREPACK 

matters  of  the  most  daring  enterprise.  Incessantly 
subjected  to  toil,  they  labor  long  and  patiently  with- 
out murmur,  and  the  prompt  and  vigorous  measures 
which  are  indispensable  to  their  security,  teach 
them  the  immediate  application  of  whatever  means 
are  within  their  power. 

A  natural  desire  to  know  the  fate  of  their  fellow 
creatures  seems  implanted  in  the  breast  of  mankind, 
and  the  most  powerful  sympathies  are  excited  by 
listening  to  the  misfortunes  of  the  innocent.  To 
record  some  impressive  examples  of  calamity,  or 
unlocked  for  deliverance,  is  the  object  of  tnese 
pages;  and  it  will  be  seen  of  what  astonishing 
advantage  are  the  virtues  of  decision,  temperance 
perseverance  and  unwavering  hope  in  moments  of 
extreme  peril  and  despair. 


CONTENTS 

f^flt 

Adventures  of  Capt  Woodward  and  Fire  Seamen  in  the 

island  of  Celebes,         ......  7 

An  Occurrence  at  sea,   -------  14 

LossofH.  B.  M  ship  Phoenix,  off  Cuba,         ....  ie 

An  aojjunt  of  the  Whale  Fishery,  with  anecdotes  of  the  dan- 

f  gere  attending  it,          .......  30 

Loss  of  the  Brig  Tyrrel,  49 

Loss  of  the  Peggy,  58 

LossofH;B.  M.  ship  Litchfield,     -  64 

Wreck  of  the  Rothsay  Castle  Steamer,  74 

Loss  of  the  French  ship  Droits  de  L'llomme,                           -  78 

Loss  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Queen  Charlotte,                                     -  82 

A  Scene  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean,     ...  84 

Wreck  of  the  French  Frigate  Medusa,  on  the  Arguin  Bank.     -  87 

Loss  of  the  Royal  George,      .......  146 

Loss  of  the  ./Eneas,  transport,                  .....  148 

The  Absent  Ship, --153 

Loss  of  the  Halsewell,  East  Indiaman,    .....  155 
An  account  of  Four  Russians,  abandoned  on  the  Island  of 

East  Spitzbergen,        --...-.  166 

Loss  of  the  Amphitrite,  Female  Convict  Ship,  *73 

The  Mutineers,  a  Tale  of  the  Sea, 176 

Fate  of  Seven  Sailors,  left  on  the  island  of  St.  Maurice,  189 

Seamen  wintering  in  Spitzbergen           .....  185 

A  Man  Overboard         -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -  190 

An  Escape  through  the  Cabin  Windows,        ....  199 

Torn  Cringle's  Log, -        -        -  19* 

Loss  of  the  Nautilus,  Sloop  of  War,        .....  801 

Wreck  of  a  Slave  Ship,          .......  213 

The  Wrecked  Seamen,          .......  213 

.IdventuresofPhilipAshton,         ....                -  919 

fcixplonon  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Amphion,    -                ...  939 


r  coirram. 

»*» 

LossofH.  B.M  ship  La  Tribune,         ....  915 

Burning  of  the  Prince,  a  French  East  Indiaman,     -                •  450 

Wreck  of  the  Schooner  Betsy,       ......  2S9 

Early  American  Heroism,      ---.-..  262 

Fingal's  Cave,                        264 

Loss  of  H.  B.  M.  ship  Ramillies, 267 

Preservation  of  Nine  Seamen,        ......  276 

Capt.  Ross's  Expedition,         .......  281 

Loss  of  the  Catharine,  Venus,  and  Piedmont,  transports,  and 

three  Merchant  Ships,          ......  288 

Wreck  of  the  Sn'p  Sydney, 298 

Loss  of  the  Duke  William,  transport,      .....  303 

Commodore  Barney,      ------..  320 

Vaval  Buttles  of  the  United  Statee,                                             .  924 

iddrai  tc  the  Ocean,                                                •  386 


THt 


B-OOK  OF  THE  OCEAN 


ADVENTURES  OF   CAPTAIN   WOODWARD    AND 
FIVE  SEAMEN  IN  THE  ISLAND  OF  CELEBES. 

In  the  ysar  1791,  Woodward  sailed  from  Boston  in  the 
ship  Robert  Morris,  Captain  Hay,  for  the  East  Indies.  On 
ais  arrival  there  he  was  employed  in  making  country  voy- 
ages until  the  20th  of  January,  when  he  sailed  as  chief-mate 
in  an  American  ship  from  Batavia  bound  to  Manilla. 

In  passing  through  the  straits  of  Macassar,  they  found  the 
wind  and  current  both  against  them,  and  after  beating  up  for 
six  weaks  they  fell  short  of  provision.  Captain  Woodward 
and  five  seamen  were  sent  to  purchase  some  from  a  vessel 
about  four  leagues  distant.  They  were  without  water,  pro- 
visions, o  compass, — having  on  board  only  ai  axe,  a  boat 
hook,  two  penknives,  a  useless  gun  and  forty  dollars  in  cash. 

They  reached  the  ship  at  sunset,  and  were  told  by  the 
captain  that  he  had  no  provision  to  spare  as  he  was  bound  to 
China  and  was  victualled  for  only  one  month.  He  advised 
them  to  stay  until  morning,  which  they  did.  But  when 
morning  dawned,  their  own  ship  was  out  of  sigh,  even  from 
the  mast  head,  and  with  a  fair  wind  for  her  to  go  through  the 
straits  of  Macassar.  Being  treated  coolly  by  the  captain, 
they  agreed  with  one  voice  to  leave  the  ship  in  search  of  their 
own.  On  leaving  the  vessel,  the  captain  gave  them  twelve 
musket  cartridges  and  a  round  bottle  of  brandy,  but  neither 
water  nor  provision'  of  any  soit. 


•  ADVENTURES   OP    CAPTAIN   WOODWARD. 

They  rowed  till  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  in  hopes  of  seeing 
their  own  vessel,  and  then  drawing  near  an  island  they 
thought  it  prudent  to  go  there  to  get  some  fresh  water. — 
They  landed  and  made  a  large  fire  in  hopes  their  ship  might 
see  it.  But  not  being  able  to  see  any  thing  of  her  in  the 
morning  and  finding  no  water  or  provisions  on  the  island, 
they  continued  their  course  in  the  middle  of  the  straits  six 
days  longer,  without  going  on  shore  or  tasting  of  any  thing 
but  brandy.  They  soon  had  the  shore  of  Celebes  in  sight, 
where  they  determined  to  go  in  search  of  provisions  and  then 
to  proceed  to  Macassar. 

As  they  approached  the  shore  they  saw  two  proas  fu.l  of 
natives,  who  immediately  put  themselves  in  a  posture  of  de- 
fence. The  sailors  made  signs  to  them  that  they  wanted  pro- 
visions, but  instead  of  giving  it  the  Malays  be-gan  to  brand- 
ish their  cresses  or  steel  daggers.  Three  of  the  men  jumped 
on  board  a  proa  to  beg  some  Indian  corn,  and  got  three  or 
four  small  ears.  The  chief  seemed  quite  friendly  and  agreed 
to  sell  captain  Woodward  two  cocoa  nuts  for  a  dollar,  but  as 
soon  as  he  had  received  the  money,  he  immediately  began  to 
strip  him  in  search  of  more.  Captain  Woodward  defended 
himself  with  a  hatchet  and  ordered  the  boat  to  be  shoved  off, 
the  chief  levelled  a  musket  at  him,  but  fortunately  it  missed 
him. 

They  then  stood  off,  went  round  a  point  of  land  and  land- 
ed out  of  sight  of  the  proas,  when  they  found  a  plenty  of  co- 
coa nut  trees.  Captain  Woodward  while  engaged  in  cutting 
them  down,  heard  the  man  whom  he  had  left  to  take  care  of 
the  boat,  scream  out  in  a  most  bitter  manner.  He  ran  im- 
mediately to  the  beach  where  he  saw  his  own  beat  off  at  some 
distance  lull  of  Malays  and  the  poor  fellow  who  guarded  it 
lying  on  his  back  with  his  throat  cut,  and  his  body  stabbed  in 
several  places. 

They  now  fled  immediately  to  the  mountains,  and  finding 
that  they  had  lost  their  boat,  money,  and  most  of  their  clothes, 
they  concluded  that  their  only  chance  of  escape  was  to  get 
to  Macassar  by  land.  Being  afraid  to  travel  in  the  day  time 
they  set  out  in  the  evening,  taking  a  star  for  their  guide  bear- 
ing south.  But  they  soon  lost  sight  of  the  star  and  at  day 
light  found  themselves  within  a  few  rods  of  the  place,  where 
they  had  set  out.  They  had  travelled  on  the  side  of  a  moun- 
tain, and  had  gone  quite  round  it  instead  of  going  straight, 
over  it  They  staited  again  and  travelled  by  the  sea  shore 


ADTKKTCRKS  OF    CAPTAIN   WOODWARD.  9 

six  nights  successively,  living  on  berries  and  water  found  in 

the  hollows  of  trees. 

On  the  sixth  they  arrived  at  a  bay  where  they  saw  a  party 
of  the  Malays  fishing.  Here  Captain  Woodward  found  some 
yellowish  berries  which  were  to  him  quite  palatable,  but  his 
men  not  liking  them  eat  some  of  the  leaves.  On  the  next 
day  they  concluded  to  make  a  raft  and  go  to  the  small  island 
or:  which  they  first  landed,  thinking  that  they  might  be  taken 
off  from  it  by  some  ship  passing  that  way.  But  they  were 
obliged  to  abandon  this  project,  for  in  the  evening  the  men 
•vho  had  eaten  the  leaves,  were  attacked  with  violent  pains 
and  were  crying  out  in  torture  during  the  whole  night. — 
Although  they  got  better  towards  evening  yet  they  were  so 
weak  and  dejected  that  Captain  Woodward  was  convinced 
that  they  could  not  reach  the  island  and  asked  them  if  they 
were  willing  to  surrender  themselves  to  the  Malays.  On  re- 
flection they  all  thought  this  the  best  course  which  they  could 
take  ;  and  forthwith  proceeded  to  the  bay  where  they  had 
seen  the  Malays  in  the  morning,  in  order  at  once  either  to  find 
friends  or  to  meet  their  fate.  At  first  they  saw  no  one,  but 
Captain  Woodward  soon  saw  three  of  the  natives  approach- 
ing him;  and  ordering  his  men  to  keep  quiet,  he  advanced 
alone  until  he  had  come  within  a  short  distance  of  them, 
where  they  stopped  and  drew  out  their  cresses  or  knives. — 
Captain  Woodward  fell  on  his  knees  and  begged  for  mercy. 
The  Malays  looked  at  him  for  about  ten  minutes  with  their 
knives  drawn,  when  one  of  them  came  towards  him,  knelt  in 
the  same  manner  and  offered  both  his  hands.  More  natives 
now  came  up  and  stripped  them  of  their  hats  and  handker- 
chiefs and  even  the  buttons  on  their  jackets,  which  they  took 
for  money. 

They  were  now  taken  to  Travalla  and  carried  to  the  court- 
house or  judgment  hall,  accompanied  by  a  great  concourse  of 
people,  including  women  and  children  who  made  a  circle  at 
gome  distance  from  them.  The  chief  soon  entered,  looking 
as  wild  as  a  madman,  carrying  in  his  hand  a  large  drawn  cress 
or  knife,  the  blade  of  which  was  two  feet  and  half  long  and 
very  bright.  Captain  Woodward  approached  so  near  to  him 
as  to  place  the  foot  of  the  chief  on  his  own  head,  as  a  token 
that  he  was  completely  under  his  power  and  direction.  The 
chief  after  holding  a  short  consultation,  returned  to  his  house 
and  brought  out  five  pieces  of  betel  nut,  which  he  gave  to 
the  sailors  as  a  token  of  friendship 

VOL.    II  1* 


tO  AJ>TKNTURXS   OF    CAPTAIN   WOODWARD. 

They  were  now  permitted  to  rest  until  about  eight  o'clock 
when  they  were  carried  to  the  Rajah's  house,  where  they 
found  a  supper  provided  for  them  of  sago-bread  and  peas,  but 
in  all  hardly  enough  for  one  man.  Their  allowance  after- 
wards was  for  each  man  a  cocoa  nut  and  an  ear  of  Indian 
corn  at  noon,  and  the  same  at  night.  In  this  manner  they 
Jived  about  twenty  days,  but  were  not  allowed  to  go  out  ex- 
cept to  the  water  to  bathe.  The  natives  soon  began  to  relai 
their  vigilance  over  them,  and  in  about  four  months,  they 
vere  conveyed  to  the  head  Rajah  of  Parlow.  They  had  not 
been  there  long  when  the  head  Rajah  sent  to  a  Dutch  port 
called  Priggia,  which  is  at  the  head  of  a  deep  bay  on  the  east 
side  of  the  island  and  which  is  under  the  care  of  a  command- 
ant who  was  a  Frenchman,  and  had  been  thirty  years  in  the 
Dutch  service.  He  arrived  at  Parlow  and  sent  for  Capt.  Wood- 
ward. He  wished  him  to  go  with  him  to  Priggia  where  he 
resided,  but  Captain  Woodward  refused,  being  apprehensive 
that  he  should  be  forced  into  the  Dutch  service.  The  com- 
mandant then  enquired  where  he  intended  to  go.  He  answer- 
ed to  Batavia  or  Macassar  and  thence  to  Bengal.  He  did 
not  offer  Captain  Woodward  or  his  people  either  money,  as- 
sistance, or  clothes,  but  seemed  quite  affronted. 

The  Rajah  now  gave  him  the  liberty  of  returning  to  Tra- 
valla,  taking  care,  however,  to  send  him  in  the  night  for  fear 
that  he  should  get  si^ht  of  Dungally,  where  there  lived  a  Ma- 
homedan  priest  called  Juan  Hadgee.  This  priest  had  been  at 
Travalla,  and  offered  a  ransom  for  Captain  Woodward  and 
his  men,  but  the  natives  were  unwilling  to  take  it,  and  were 
fearful  that  their  captives  would  try  to  escape  to  the  town 
where  the  priest  lived.  It  happened  however,  that  they  were 
becalmed  off  Dungally,  so  that  Captain  Woodward  could  ob- 
serve its  situation.  On  arriving  at  Travalla,  he  attempted  to 
escape  alone  by  water,  but  the  canoe  being  leaky,  he  came 
very  near  losing  his  life.  But  not  discouraged,  he  started 
immediately  for  Dungally  by  land,  and  reached  it  just  as  the 
day  dawned. 

Juan  Hadgee  received  him  kindly  and  provided  him  with 
food  and  clothing.  In  the  course  of  three  days  the  chief  oi 
Travalla  learning  that  he  had  gone  to  Dungally,  sent  after 
him,  but  the  old  priest  and  the  Rajah  of  Dungally  refused  to 
let  him  go.  They  told  him  that  in  the  course  of  three  months 
they  would  convey  him  to  Batavia  or  Macassar,  and  also  de- 
sired him  to  send  for  the  four  men  he  had  left  at  Travalla. — 
This  he  did  by  means  of  a  letter  which  he  wrote  with  a  pen 


ADVKirrURKB   or     CAPTAIN   WOODWARD.  11 

0f  bamboo,  and  sent  by  the  captain  of  a  proa,  who  delivered  it 
secretly.  The  men  made  their  escape  from  Parlow  at  the 
time  of  a  feast,  early  in  the  evening,  and  arrived  at  Dungally 
at  twelve  o'clock  the  next  day.  They  were  received  with 
great  rejoicing  by  the  natives,  who  immediately  brought  them 
plenty  of  victuals.  And  this  fortunate  circumstance  revived 
their  hopes  of  reaching  some  European  settlement,  after  many 
narrow  escapes  and  difficulties. 

Juan  Hadgee  now  informed  Capt.  Woodward  that  he  should 
set  off  in  about  two  months,  but  that  he  must  first  make  a 
short  voyage  for  provisions,  which  he  did,  leaving  Captain 
Woodward  in  his  house  with  his  wife  and  two  servants 

They  sootj  began  to  suffer  exceedingly  for  the  want  of  pro- 
visions, so  that  the  natives  were  obliged  to  convey  them  up 
the  country,  there  to  be  supplied  by  some  of  the  same  tribe, 
who  regularly  went  from  the  village  into  the  country  at  a  cer- 
tain season  to  cultivate  rice  and  Indian  corn.  But  the  Rajah 
of  Parlow  making  war  on  the  Rajah  of  Dungally,  because 
the  latter  would  not  deliver  them  up,  they  were  soon  brought 
back  to  Dungally.  There  was  but  one  engagement,  and  then 
the  men  of  Parlow  were  beaten  and  driven  back  to  their  own 
town 

Provisions  again  growing  scarce,  Juan  Hadgee  was  bound 
for  another  port  called  Sawyah,  situated  about  two  degrees 
north  of  the  line.  He  gave  Captain  Woodward  permission  to 
accompany  him,  provided  the  Rajah  was  willing,  but  the  lat- 
ter refused,  saying  that  he  must  stay  there  and  keep  guard 
Captain  Woodward  now  mustered  his  men,  and  taking  their 
guns  they  went  to  the  house  of  the  Rajah  and  told  him  they 
would  stand  guard  no  longer  for  they  wished  to  go  to  Macas- 
sar. He  immediately  replied  that  they  should  not.  Being 
determined  not  to  live  longer  in  this  manner,  and  finding  no 
other  means  of  escaping,  Captain  Woodward  came  to  the 
resolution  of  stealing  a  canoe,  to  which  all  the  men  agreed 
They  were  lucky  enough  to  obtain  one  and  seemed  in  a  fair 
way  to  make  their  escape,  but  just  as  they  were  getting  into  it 
they  were  surrounded  by  about  twenty  natives  and  carried  be- 
fore the  Rajah,  who  ordered  them  to  account  for  their  con- 
duct. They  told  him  that  they  could  get  nothing  to  eat,  and 
were  determined  to  quit  the  place  on  the  first  opportunity  that 
offered.  Nothing  of  consequence  resulted  from  this.-^— 
Knowing  the  language  and  people  they  had  new  become  fear- 
less of  danger 


*t  ADVINTUREB   OF    CAPTAIN    WOODWARD 

The  Rajah  refusing  to  let  them  go  with  Juan  Hadgee  they 
determined  to  run  away  with  him,  which  they  were  enabled  to 
do,  as  the  old  man  set  out  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  and  there 
happened  lucki-ly  to  be  a  canoe  on  the  beach  near  his  own. — 
This  they  took  and  followed  him  as  well  as  they  could,  but 
they  soon  parted  from  him,  and  in  the  morning  discovered  a 
proa  close  by  them  filled  with  Malays.  They  told  them  that 
they  were  bound  with  the  old  man  to  Sawyah.  The  Malays 
took  them  at  their  word  and  carried  them  there  instead  of  to 
Dungally,  which  was  a  lucky  escape  to  them  for  that  time. — 
Whilst  residing  at  Sawyah  the  old  priest  carried  Captain 
Woodward  to  an  island  in  the  bay  of  Sawyah,  which  he  grant- 
ed to  him,  and  in  compliment  called  it  Steersman's  Island, 
steersman  being  the  appellation  by  which  Captain  Woodward 
was  distinguished  by  the  natives.  After  staying  some  time  in 
Sawyah  and  making  sago,  which  they  bartered  for  fish  and 
cocoa-nuts,  they  left  the  place  and  proceeded  to  Dumpolis,  a 
'ittle  to  the  southward  of  Sawyah.  Juan  Hadgee  soon  left 
the  place  for  Tomboo  about  a  day's  sail  south,  where  he  had 
business.  Here  Captain  Woodward  and  his  men  also  follow- 
ed him.  The  old  priest  was  willing  to  assist  them  to  escape 
from  here,  but  was  evidently  unable  to  do  it.  Tomboo  being 
under  the  direction  of  the  Rajah  of  Dungally. 

Fortunately  they  succeeded  in  stealing  a  canoe  in  the  night, 
and  once  more  shoving  off,  they  directed  their  course  to  a  small 
island  in  the  bay,  where  they  landed  at  daybreak.  Not  being 
able  to  find  water  here  as  they  expected,  they  landed  at  an- 
other point  of  land,  which  they  knew  to  be  uninhabited. — 
Having  obtained  water  and  repaired  their  canoe,  they  direct- 
ed their  course  to  Macassar,  which  was  then  about  five  de- 
grees to  the  southward.  After  coasting  along  the  island  for 
the  space  of  eight  days,  during  which  time  they  were  twice 
very  nearly  taken  by  the  Malays,  they  arrived  at  a  part  of  the 
island  of  Celebes,  which  was  very  thickly  inhabited. 

They  passed  many  towns  and  saw  many  proas  within  the 
harbors  Having  observed  a  retired  place,  they  landed  to  pro- 
cure some  fresh  water,  but  they  had  hardly  got  a  draugh. 
each,  when  two  canoes  were  seen  coming  to  the  very  place 
where  they  were.  They  immediately  shoved  off*  and  kept  on 
.heir  course  all  day.  Just  as  the  sun  went  down  they  discov- 
ered two  canoes  not  far  from  them  fishing.  As  soon  as  the 
natives  saw  them  they  made  the  best  of  their  way  to  the  shore. 
Captain  Woodward  wished  to  inquire  the  distance  to  Macas- 
•ar,  but  not  being  able  to  stop  them  he  made  for  one  of  two 


ADVCNTURM   OF    CAPTAIN   WOODWARD.  13 

canoes  which  he  saw  at  a  distance  lying  et  anchor.  Being 
told  that  the  captain  was  below  and  asleep  he  went  down  and 
awakened  him.  He  came  on  deck  with  three  or  four  men 
all  arued  with  spears,  and  inquired  where  they  were  going. 
Captain  Woodward  told  him  to  Macassar  and  inquired  of  him 
the  distance  to  that  place.  He  answered  that  it  would  take  a 
month  and  a  day  to  reach  it.  Captain  Woodward  told  him  it 
was  not  true  and  made  the  best  of  his  way  off.  The  Malays 
however  made  chase,  but  Captain  Woodward  and  his  men  by 
putting  out  to  sea  and  making  great  exertion,  soon  lost  sight 
of  them  and  were  able  again  to  stand  in  towards  the  land. 

At  daylight  they  discovered  a  number  of  fishing  canoes, 
two  of  which  made  towards  them.  They  let  them  come 
alongside  as  there  was  only  one  man  in  each.  One  of  them 
came  on  board  and  Captain  Woodward  put  the  same  question 
to  him  respecting  Macassar.  He  first  said  it  would  take 
thirty  days  to  reach  there  and  asked  them  to  go  on  shore  and 
see  the  Rajah.  But  they  declined  doing  this,  and  he  after- 
wards acknowleged  that  a  proa  could  go  there  in  two  days. 

They  then  left  the  canoe  and  sailed  along  the  coast.  At 
evening  they  perceived  a  proa  full  of  Malay  men  set  off  from 
the  shore.  It  was  soon  along  side,  and  four  of  them  jumping 
into  the  boat  nearly  upset  her,  and  thus  Captain  Woodward  and 
his  men  were  again  prisoners  of  the  Malays.  They  were  car- 
ried to  a  town  called  Pamboon  and  then  conducted  to  the 
Rajah's  house.  The  Rajah  demanded  of  them  whence  the/ 
came  and  whither  they  were  going  Captain  Woodward  an- 
swered the  same  as  before;  he  also  told  him  that  they  must  go 
immediately,  and  must  not  be  stopped.  They  had  now  be- 
come so  familiar  with  dangers  and  with  captures,  and  were  al- 
so so  much  nearer  Macassar,  than  they  could  have  expected 
after  so  many  narrow  escapes,  that  they  became  more  and  more 
desperate  and  confident,  from  the  persuasion  that  they  should 
at  last  reach  their  destined  port. 

In  the  morning  Captain  Woodward  again  waited  on  th« 
Rajah,  and  begged  to  be  sent  to  Macassar;  telling  him  that 
the  Governor  had  sent  for  them,  who  would  stop  all  his  proas 
at  Macassar  if  he  detained  them.  After  thinking  on  it  a 
short  time,  he  called  the  captain  of  a  proa,  and  delivered  the 
prisoners  to  him,  telling  him  to  carry  them  to  Macassar,  and 
if  he  could  get  any  thing  for  them  to  take  it,  but  if  not  to  let 
them  go.  The  proa  not  being  ready  they  stayed  in  the  canoe 
three  days,  quite  overcome  by  their  many  hardships  and  fa- 
tigues. Captain  Woodward  having  had  no  shirt,  the  sun  had 


14  A*   OCCURRENCE    AT   MA 

burnt  his  shoulder  BO  as  to  lay  it  quite  bare  and  produce  a  baa 
•ore.  Here  he  caught  cold,  and  was  attacked  with  a  violent 
fever,  so  that  by  the  time  the  proa  was  ready  to  sail  he  was 
unable  to  stand.  He  was  carried  and  laid  on  the  deck  with- 
out a  mat  or  any  kind  of  clothing.  The  cold  nights  and  fre- 
quent showers  of  rain  would  without  doubt  have  killed  him. 
had  he  not  been  kept  alive  by  the  hopes  of  reaching  Macas- 
sar, the  thoughts  of  which  kept  up  all  their  spirits. 

They  landed  at  Macassar  on  the  15th  of  June  1795,  after  a 
voyage  of  about  nineteen  days  frcm  Tomboo,  and  after  hav- 
ing been  two  years  and  five  months  in  captivity;  the  reckon- 
ing which  Captain  Woodward  kept  during  that  time,  being 
wrong  only  one  day. 


AN  OCCURRENCE  AT  SEA 

IN  June,  1824,  I  embarked  at  Liverpool  onboard  the  Vib 
elia  transport  with  the  head-quarters  of  my  regiment,  which 
was  proceeding  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia.  Our  passage  across 
the  Atlantic  was  smooth,  though  long  and  tedious.  After 
passing  over  the  great  bank  of  Newfoundland,  catching  large 
quantities  of  codfish  and  halibut,  and  encountering  the  usual 
fogs,  we  were  one  morning,  about  the  end  of  July,  completely 
becalmed.  All  who  have  performed  a  voyage,  know  the  feel- 
ing of  listlessness  to  which  a  landsman  abandons  himself  dur- 
ing a  calm.  The  morning  was  slowly  passed  in  looking  for 
appearances  of  a  breeze — whistling  for  a  wind,  and  the  other 
idle  pursuits  usual  on  such  occasions.  Towards  noon,  a  sailor 
from  aloft  pointed  out  to  our  observation  a  vessel  at  a  distance, 
also,  of  course,  becalmed.  All  eyes  and  glasses  were  imme- 
diately directed  towards  her,  but  she  was  too  far  off  for  the 
most  experienced  to  determine  whether  she  was  English  or 
foreign,  man-of-war  or  merchantman.  After  a  lime  it  occur- 
red to  me,  that  it  was  a  favorable  opportunity  for  breaking  in 
upon  the  monotony  of  the  day.  My  influence  with  our  captain 


AN    OCCURRENCE    AT   SKA.  1ft 

obtained  permission  for  the  small  cutter  to  !  e  lowered,  but  he 
A'ould  not  allow  a  single  seaman  to  leave  the  ship.  I  therefore 
became  coxswain  of  the  boat,  and,  accompanied  by  four  of  my 
brother  officers  as  rowers,  we  pushed  off,  determined  to  pay  a 
visit  to  the  strange  sail.  To  our  landsmen's  eyes  and  judg- 
ment, she  had  appeared  to  be  about  four  miles  from  us,  but  we 
found  ourselves  very  much  out  in  our  calculation — it  was  more 
than  double  that  distance.  The  rowers,  however,  pulled  on 
bravely — we  neared  the  stranger,  making  her  out  to  be  a  large 
American  merchantman,  and  as  he  was  approached,  we  ob- 
served a  number  of  persons  on  deck  reconnoitring  us  through 
glasses.  At  length  we  were  alongside,  and  I  passed  on  board, 
followed  by  three  of  my  companions,  one  remaining  in  charge 
of  the  boat.  On  reaching  the  deck,  we  found  it  crowded  with 
men,  who  seemed  to  regard  us  with  wondering  looks.  I  step- 
ped forward  and  was  received  by  the  Captain,  who  acquaint 
ed  me  that  his  vessel  was  the  American  ship  Cadmus,  on  her 
passage  from  Havre-de-grace  to  New  York,  with  General  the 
Marquis  de  Lafayette  and  suite  as  passengers.  A  noble, 
venerable  looking  veteran  advanced  from  the  poop  towards  us, 
»nd  offered  his  greetings  with  the  courtsey  of  the  old  French 
school.  He  was  Lafeyette.  My  explanation  of  who  we 
were,  and  the  motive  of  our  visit,  appeared  to  excite  his  sur- 
prise. That  five  officers  of  the  land  service,  unaccompanied 
by  a  single  sailor,  should  leave  their  vessel  on  the  open  ocean, 
and  from  mere  curiosity,  visit  a  strange  sail  at  such  a  distance, 
was,  he  declared,  most  extraordinary.  He  said  they  had  ob- 
served our  ship  early  in  the  morning — had  been  occupied 
(like  ourselves)  in  vain  endeavors  to  make  us  out — had  re- 
marked an  object,  a  mere  speck  upon  the  sea,  leave  the  vessel 
and  move  towards  them,  and  when  at  length  it  was  -made  out 
to  be  a  boat,  the  probable  cause  of  such  a  circumstance  had 
given  rise  to  many  surmises.  I  told  him  in  mitigation  of 
what  he  deemed  our  rashness,  that  we  were,  as  a  nation,  so 
essentially  maritime,  that  every  man  in  England  was  more  or 
less  a  sailor.  At  all  events,  I  ventured  to  add  if  we  had  en- 
countered some  little  risk,  we  had  been  amply  repaid  in  see- 
ing a  man  so  celebrated,  and  of  whom  we  had  all  heard  and 
read.  Our  comrade  being  relieved  by  an  American  sailor  in 
the  care  of  the  boat,  we  accepted  the  General's  offer  of  re- 
freshment, proceeded  to  the  cabin,  and  passed  a  most  agree- 
able hour.  The  fast  approach  of  evening  and  appearances 
of  a  breeze  springing  up  induced  us  to  take  leave.  We  sepa- 
rated from  the  old  chief,  not  as  the  acquaintance  of  an  hour, 


It  TMB    LOM   OF   THE    FHOUflX. 

but  with  all  the  warmth — the  grasp  and  pressure  of  hand— «. 
old  friends.  As  I  parted  from  him  at  the  gangway,  he  tnea 
tioned  having  caused  a  case  of  claret  to  be  lowered  into  our 
boat,  which  he  begged  us  to  present  to  our  Colonel  and  the 
other  officers  of  our  mess.  We  pulled  cheerily  back,  but  it 
was  not  until  long  after  dark  that  we  reached  the  '  Vibelia,' 
and  which  we  perhaps  could  not  have  accomplished,  but  for 
their  having  exhibited  blue  lights  every  few  minutes  to  point 
out  her  position.  We  found  our  comrades  had  been  in  great 
alarm  for  our  safety.  Various  had  been  the  surmises.  Thai 
we  had  boarded  a  pirate,  and  been  sacrificed,  or  made  prison- 
ers, was  most  prevalent,  and  a  breeze  was  anxiously  prayed 
for,  that  they  might  bear  down,  and  release  or  revenge  us. 
Half  an  hour  after  we  returned  to  our  step,  a  light  wind  sprang 
up,  which  very  shortly  freshened  into  a  gale,  so  that  in  the 
morning  we  had  completely  lost  sight  of  the  'Cadmus.' 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  LOSS  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S 
SHIP  PH(ENIX. 

The  Phoenix  of  44  guns,  Gapt.  Sir  Hyde  Parker  was  Icat 
in  a  hurricane,  off  Cuba,  in  the  West  Indies,  in  the  year 
1780.  The  same  hurricane  destroyed  the  Thunderer,  74  , 
Stirling  Castle,  64;  La  B^nche,  42;  Laurel,  28;  And- 
romeda, 28  ;  Deas  Castle,  ,  Scarborough,  20  ;  Beaver's 
Prize,  16;  Barbadoes,  14;  Cameleon,  14;  Endeavour,  14; 
and  Victor,  10  guns.  Lieut.  Archer  was  first-lieutenant  of 
the  Phoenix  at  the  time  she  was  lost.  His  narrative  in  a  letter 
to  his  mother,  contains  a  most  correct  and  animated  account 
of  one  of  the  most  awful  events  in  the  service.  It  is  so  simple 
and  natural  as  to  make  the  reader  feel  himself  as  on  board  the 


THE    LOSS   «F   THB    PUCENIX  11 

Phoenix.     Every  circumstance  is  detailed  with  feeling,  and 

Eowerful  appeals  are  continually  made  to  the  heart.     It  must 
kewise  afford  considerable  pleasure  to  observe  the  devout 
spirit  of  a  seaman  frequently  bursting  forth,  and  imparting 
sublimity  to  the  relation. 

At  Sea,  June  30,  1781. 
'Mr  DEAR  MOTHER, 

I  am  now  going  to  give  you  an  account  of  our  last  cruise  in 
tne  Phoenix  ;  and  must  premise,  that  should  any  one  see  it  be* 
sides  yourself,  they  must  put  this  construction  on  it — that  it 
was  originally  intended  for  the  eyes  of  a  mother,  and  a  mother 
only — as,  upon  that  supposition,  my  feelings  may  be  tolerated. 
You  will  also  meet  with  a  number  of  sea-terms,  which,  if  you 
don't  understand,  why,  I  cannot  help  you,  as  I  am  unable  to 
give  a  sea  description  in  any  other  words. 

To  begin  then  : — On  the  2d  of  August,  1780,  we  weighed 
and  sailed  for  Port  Royal,  bound  for  Pensacola,  having  two 
store-ships  under  convoy,  and  to  see  safe  in  ;  then  cruise  off 
the  Havana,  and  in  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  for  six  weeks.  In  a 
few  days  we  made  the  two  sandy  islands,  that  look  as  if  they 
had  just  risen  out.  of  the  sea,  or  fallen  from  the  sky  ;  inhabit- 
ed, nevertheless,  by  upwards  of  three  hundred  English,  who 
get  their  bread  by  catching  turtle  and  parrots,  and  raising 
vegetables,  which  they  exchange  with  ships  that  pass,  for 
clothing  and  a  few  of  the  luxuries  of  life,  as  rum,  &c. 

About  the  12th  we  arrived  at  Pensacola,  without  any  thing 
remarkable  happening  except  our  catching  a  vast  quantity  of 
fisn,  sharks,  dolphins,  and  bonettos.  On  the  13th  sailed 
singly,  and  on  the  14th  had  a  very  heavy  gale  of  wind  at  north, 
right  off  the  land,  so  that  we  soon  left  the  sweet  place,  Pen- 
sacola, at  a  distance  astern.  We  then  looked  into  the  Havana, 
•aw  a  number  of  ships  there,  and  knowing  that  some  of  them 
were  bound  round  the  bay,  we  cruised  in  the  track  :  a  fort- 
night, however,  passed  and  not  a  single  ship  hove  in  sight  to 
cheer  our  spirits.  We  then  took  a  turn  or  two  round  the 
gulf,  but  not  near  enough  to  be  seen  from  the  shore.  Vera 
Cruz  we  expected  would  have  made  us  happy,  but  the  same 
luck  still  continued  ;  day  followed  day,  and  no  sail.  The  dol- 
lar bag  began  to  grow  a  little  bulky,  for  every  one  had  lost 
two  or  three  times,  and  no  one  had  won  :  this  was  a  small 
gambling  party  entered  into  by  Sir  Hyde  and  ourselves ; 
«very  one  put  a  dollar  into  a  bag,  and  fixed  on  a  day  when  we 


It  TBX    LOSS    OF   THK    PH(KMX. 

should  see  a  sail,  but  no  two  persons  were  to  name  the  same 
day,  and  whoever  guessed  right  first  was  to  have  the  bag. 

Being  now  tired  of  our  situation,  and  glad  the  cruise  was 
almost  out,  for  we  found  the  navigation  very  dangerous,  owing 
to  unaccountable  currents  ;  we  shaped  our  course  for  Cape 
\ntonio.  The  next  day  the  man  at  the  mast  head,  at  about 
ne  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  called  out  :  "A  sail  upon  the 
weather  bow  !  Ha  !  Ha  !  Mr.  Spaniard,  I  think  we  have  you 
at  last.  Turn  out  all  hands  !  make  sail  !  All  hands  give 
chase  !"  There  was  scarcely  any  occasion  for  this  order,  for 
the  sound  of  a  sail  being  in  sight  flew  like  wild  fire  through  the 
ship  and  every  sail  was  set  in  an  instant  almost  before  the  orders 
were  given.  A  lieutenant  at  the  mast  head,  with  a  spy  glass, 
"  What  is  she  ?"  "  A  large  ship  studding  athwart  right  be- 
fore the  wind  P-o-r-t  !  Keep  her  away  !  set  the  studding 
sails  ready  ! "  Up  comes  the  little  doctor,  rubbing  his  hands  ; 
"  Ha  !  ha  !  I  have  won  the  bag."  "  The  devil  take  you  and 
the  bag  ;  look,  what's  ahead  will  fill  all  our  bags."  Mast- 
head again :  "  Two  more  sail  on  the  larboard  beam  !" 
"Archer,  go  up,  and  see  what  you  can  make  of  them." 
"  Upon  deck  there  ;  I  see  a  whole  fleet  of  twenty  sail  coming 
right  before  the  wind."  "  Confound  the  luck  of  it,  this  is 
some  convoy  or  other,  but  we  must  try  if  we  can  pick  some  of 
them  out."  "Haul  down  the  studding-sails!  LuflT!  bring 
her  to  the  wind  !  Let  us  see  what  we  can  make  of  them. 

About  five  we  got  pretty  near  them,  and  found  them  to  be 
twenty-six  sail  of  Spanibh  merchantmen,  under  convoy  of 
three  line  of  battle  ships,  one  of  which  chased  us  ;  but  when 
she  found  Mre  were  p'aying  with  her  (for  the  old  Phoenix  had 
heels)  she  left  chase,  and  joined  the  convoy  ;  which  they  drew 
up  into  a  lump,  and  placed  themselves  at  the  outside  ;  but  we 
still  kept  smelling  about  till  after  dark.  O,  for  the  Hector, 
the  Albion,  and  a  frigate,  and  we.should  take  the  whole  fleet 
and  convoy,  worth  some  millions  !  About  eight  o'clock  pe~- 
ceived  three  sail  at  some  distance  from  the  fleet  ;  dashed  in 
between  them,  and  gave  :hase,  and  were  happy  to  find  they 
steered  from  the  fleet.  About  twelve  came  up  with  a  large 
ship  of  twenty -six  guns.  "  Archer,  every  man  to  his  quarters  ! 
run  the  lower  deck  guns  out,  and  light  the  ship  up  ;  show  this 
fellow  our  force  ;  it  may  prevent  his  firing  into  us  and  killing 
a  man  or  two."  No  sooner  said  than  done.  "  Hoa,  the  ship 
ahoy,  lower  all  your  sails  down,  and  bring  to  instantly,  or  I'll 
•ink  you."  Clatter,  clatter,  went  the  blocks,  and  away  flew 
all  their  sails  in  proper  confusion.  "  What  ship  is  that  ?v 


THK    LOSS   Or   THK   PHONIX.  19 

*  The  Polly.       "Whence  came  you  ?"     "From  Jamacia." 

*  Where  are  you  bound  ?"     "  To  New  York."     "  What  ship 
is  that  ?"     "  The  Phoenix."     Huzza,  three  times  by  the  whole 
ship's  company      An  old  grum  fellow  of  a  sailor  standing 
close  by  me  :  "  O,  d — m  your  three  cheers,  we  took  you  to 
be  something  else."     Upon  examination  we  found  it  to  be  as 
he  reported,  and  that  they  had  fallen  in  with  the  Spanish  fleet 
that  morning,  and  were  chased  the  whole  day,  and  that  nothing 
saved  them  but  our  stepping  in  between  ;  for  the  Spaniards 
took  us  for  three  consorts,  and  the  Polly  took  the  Phoenix  for 
a  Spanish  frigate,  till  we  hailed  them.     The -other  vessel  in 
company  was  likewise   bound  to  New  York:     Thus  was  I, 
from  being  worth  thousands  in  idea,  reduced  to  the  old  4s.  6d. 
a  day  again  :  for  the  little  doctor  made  the  most  prize  money 
of  us  all  that  day,  by  winning  the  bag,  which  contained   oe- 
tween  thirty  and  forty  dollars  ;  but  this  is  nothing  tfl  what  we 
sailors  sometimes  undergo. 

After  parting  company,  we  steered  south-south-east,  to  go 
round  Antonio,  and  so  to  Jamaica,  (our  cruise  being  out)  with 
our  hngers  in  our  mouths,  and  all  of  us  as  green  as  you  please. 
It  happened  to  be  my  middle  watch,  and  about  three  o'clock, 
when  a  man  upon  the  forecastle  bawls  out :  "  Breakers  ahead, 
and  land  upon  the  lee-bow  ;"  I  looked  out,  and  it  was  so  sure 
enough.  "  Ready  abo-ut  !  put  the  helm  down  !  Helm  a  lee  !" 
Sir  Hyde  hearing  me  put  the  ship  about,  jumped  upon  deck. 
"Archer  what  's  the  matter  ?  you  are  putting  the  ship  about 
without  my  orders  !"  "  Sir,  'tis  time  to  go  about !  the  ship  is 
almost  ashore,  there  's  the  land."  "  Good  God  so  it  is  !  Will 
the  ship  stay  ?"  "Yes,  Sir,  I  believe  she  will,  if  we  don't 
make  any  confusion;  she's  all  aback — forward  now?" — 
"  Well,"  says  he,  "  work  the  ship,  I  will  not  speak  a  single 
word."  The  ship  stayed  very  well.  "  Then,  heave  the  lead  ! 
see  what  water  we  have!"  "Three  fathom."  "Keep  the 
ship  away,  west-north-west." — "  By  the  mark  three."  "  This 
won't  do,  Archer."  "  No,  sir,  we  had  better  haul  more  to  the 
northward  ;  we  came  south-south-east,  and  had  better  steer 
north-north-west."  "  Steady,  and  a  quarter  three."  "This 
may  do,  as  we  deepen  a  little."  "  By  the  deep  four."  "  Very 
well,  my  lad,  heave  quick."  "Five  Fathom."  "That  's  a 
fine  fellow  !  another  cast  nimbly."  "  Quarter  less  eight." 
"  That  will  do,  come,  we  shall  get  clear  by  and  by."  — 
"Mark  under  water  five."  "What  's  that?"  "Only  five 
fathom,  Sir."  "Turn  all  hands  up,  bring  the  ship  to  an 
anchor,  boy  !"  "  Are  the  anchors  clear  !"  "  In  a  mordent, 
Sir."  "  All  clear  '"  "  What  water  have  you  in  the  .  mi 


THE    LOSS   OF   THB    RHOIflX. 

now!"  "Eight,  half  nine.  •»  "Keep  fast  the  anchors  till  1 
call  you."  "  Ay,  ay,  Sir,  all  fast !"  "  I  have  no  ground  with 
this  line."  "  How  many  fathoms  have  you  out  ?  pass  along 
the  deep-sea  line!"  "Ay,  ay,  Sir."  "Come  are  you  all 
ready  ?"  "All  ready,  Sir."  "  Heave  away,  watch  !  watch  ! 
bear  away,  veer  away,  no  ground  Sir,  with  a  hundred  fath- 
om." "That's  clever,  come,  Madam  Phrenix,  there  is  an- 
other squeak  in  you  yet — all  down  but  the  watch;  secure  the 
anchors  again  ;  heave  the  main-top-sail  to  the  mast  ;  luff,  and 
bring  her  to  the  wind  !" 

I  told  you,  Madam,  you  should  have  a  little  sea-jargon  :  if 
you  can  understand  half  of  what  is  already  said,  I  wonder  at 
it,  though  it  is  nothing  to  what  is  to  come  yet,  when  the  old 
hurricane  begins.  As  soon  as  the  ship  was  a  little  to  rights, 
and  all  quiet  again,  Sir  Hyde  came  to  me  in  the  most  friendly 
manner,  the  tears  almost  starting  from  his  eyes — "  Archer,  we 
ought  all,  to  be  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  safety  of  the  ship, 
and  perhaps  of  ourselves.  I  am  particularly  so  ;  nothing  but 
that  instantaneous  presence  of  i.»>;nd  and  calmness  saved  her  ; 
another  ship's  length  and  we  should  have  been  fast  on  shore  ; 
had  you  been  the  least  diffident,  or  made  the  least  confusion, 
so  as  to  make  the  ship  baulk  in  her  stays,  she  must  have  been 
inevitably  lost.''  "  Sir,  you  are  very  good,  but  I  have  done 
nothing  that  I  suppose  any  body  else  would  not  have  done,  in 
the  same  situation  I  did  not  turn  all  the  hands  up,  knowing 
the  watch  able  to  work  the  ship  ;  besides,  had  it  spread  im- 
mediately about  the  sLip,  that  she  was  almost  ashore,  it  mighf 
have  created  a  confusion  that  was  better  avoided."  "  Well,'* 
says  he,  "  't  is  well  indeed  " 

At  daylight  we  found  that  *h°t  current  had  set  us  between 
the  Collarado  rocks  and  Cape  ^vr*onio,  and  that  we  could  not 
have  got  out  any  other  way  th.^r  re  did  ;  there  was  a  chance, 
but  Providence  is  the  best  pilot  We  had  sunset  that  day 
twenty  leagues  to  the  south-east  if  our  reckoning  by  the 
current. 

After  getting  clear  of  this  scrape,  \v?  thought  ourselves  for- 
tunate, and  made  sail  for  Jamaica,  but  nM.^fortune  seemed  to 
follow  misfortune.  The  next  night,  my  wa*ch  upon  deck  too, 
we  were  overtaken  by  a  squall,  like  a  hurricane  while  it  last- 
ed ;  for  though  I  saw  it  coming,  and  prepared  for  it.  yet, 
v/hen  it  took  the  ship,  it  roared,  and  laid  her  down  co,  that  I 
thought  she  would  never  get  up  again.  However,  by  keeping 
her  away,  and  clewing  up  every  thing,  she  righted.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  night  we  had  very  heavy  squalls,  and  in  the 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PHOENIX.  21 

morning  fou.id  the  mainmast  sprung  half  the  way  through  :  one 
hundred  and  twenty-three  leagues  to  the  leeward  "1  ',ima;:a, 
the  hurricane  months  coming  on,  the  head  of  the  mainmast  al- 
most off,  and  at  short  allowance  ;  well,  we  must  make  the  be&t 
of  it.  The  mainmast  was  well  fished,  Dut  we  were  obliged  to 
be  very  tender  of  carrying  sail. 

Nothing  remarkable  happened  for  ten  days  afterwards,  when 
we  chased  a  Yankee  man  of  war  for  six  hours,  but  could  not 
get  near  enough  to  her  before  it  was  dark,  to  keep  sight  of 
her  ;  so  that  we  lost  her  because  unable  to  carry  any  sail  on 
the  mainmast.  In  about  twelve  days  more  made  the  island  of 
Jamaica,  having  weathered  all  the  squalls,  and  put  into  Mon- 
tego  Bay  for  water  ;  so  that  we  had  a  strong  party  foi  kicking 
up  a  dust  on  shore,  having  found  three  men  of  war  lying  there. 
Dancing,  &c.  &c.  till  two  o'clock  every  morning  ;  little  think- 
ing what  was  to  happen  in  four  days'  time  :  for  out  of  the  four 
men  of  war  that  were  there,  not  one  was  in  being  at  the  end 
of  that  time,  and  not  a  soul  alive  but  those  left  of  our  crew. 
Many  of  the  houses,  where  we  had  been  so  merry,  were  so  com- 
pletely destroyed,  that  scarcely  a  vestige  remained  to  mark 
where  they  stood.  Thy  works  are  wonderful,  0  God  !  prais- 
ed be  thy  holy  Name  ! 

September  the  30th  weighed  ;  bound  for  Port  Royal,  round 
the  eastward  of  the  island  ;  the  Bardadoes  and  Victor  had 
sailed  the  day  before,  and  the  Scarborough  was  to  sail  the 
next.  Moderate  weather  until  October  the  2d.  Spoke  to  the 
Barbadoes  off  Port  Antonio  in  the  evening.  At  eleven  at 
night  it  began  to  snuffle,  with  a  monstrous  heavy  appearance 
from  the  eastward.  Close  reefed  the  top-sails.  Sir  Hyde 
sent  for  me  :  "  What  sort  of  weather  have  we,  Archer  !" 
"It  blows  a  little,  and  has  a  very  ugly  look  :  if  in  any  other 
quarter  but  this,  I  should  say  we  were  going  to  have  a  gale  of 
wind.''  "  Ay,  it  looks  so  very  often  here  when  there  is  no 
wind  at  all  ;  however,  don't  hoist  the  top-sails  till  it  clears  a 
little,  there  is  no  trusting  any  country."  At  twelve  I  was  re- 
lieved ;  th .;  weather  had  the  same  rough  look  :  however,  they 
made  sail  upon  her,  but  had  a  very  dirty  night.  At  eight  in 
the  morning  I  came  up  again,  found  it  blowing  hard  from  the 
east-north-east,  with  close-reefed  top-sails  upon  the  ship, 
and  heavy  squalls  at  times.  Sir  Hyde  came  upon  deck  : 
"  Well,  Archer,  what  do  you  think  of  it  ? "  "  O,  Sir,  't  is 
only  a  touch  of  the 'times,  we  shall  have  an  observati(n  at 
twelve  o'clock  ;  the  clouds  are  beginning  to  break  ;  it  will 
clear  up  at  noon,  or  else — bl  >w  very  hard  afterwards."  "I 


22  THE    LOSS   OF    THE   PHdNIX. 

wish  it  wouli  clear  up,  but  I  doubt  it  much.  I  was  once  in  Q 
hurricane  in  the  East  Indies,  and  the  beginning  of  it  had  much 
the  same  appearance  as  this  So  take  in  the  top-sails,  we 
have  plenty  of  sea-room." 

At  twelve,  the  gale  still  increasing,  wore  ship,  to  keep  as 
near  mid-channel  between  Jamaica  and  Cuba,  as  possible  • 
at  one  the  gale  increasing  still  ;  at  two,  harder  yet,  it  still 
blows  harder  !  Reefed  the  courses,  and  furled  them  ;  brought 
to  under  a  foul  mizen  stay-sail,  head  to  the  northward.  In  the 
evening  no  sign  of  the  weather  taking  off,  but  every  appear- 
ance of  the  storm  incroasing,  prepared  for  a  proper  gale  of 
wind  ;  secured  all  the  sails  with  spare  gaskets ;  good  rolling 
tackles  upon  the  yards  ;  squared  the  booms  ;  saw  the  boats 
all  made  fast  ;  new  lashed  the  guns  ;  double  breeched  the 
lower  deckers ;  saw  that  the  carpenters  had  the  tarpawlings 
and  battens  all  ready  for  hatchways ;  got  the  top-gallant-mast 
down  upon  the  deck  ;  jib-boom  and  sprit-sail-yard  fore  and 
aft  ;  in  fact  every  thing  we  could  think  of  to  make  a  snug 
ship. 

The  poor  devils  of  birds  now  began  to  find  the  uproar  in  the 
elements,  for  numbers,  both  of  sea  and  land  kinds,  came  on 
board  of  us.  I  took  notice  of  some,  which  happening  to  be  to 
leeward,  turned  to  windward,  like  a  ship,  tack  and  tack  ;  for 
they  could  not  fly  against  it.  When  they  came  over  the  ship 
they  dashed  themselves  down  upon  the  deck,  without  attempt- 
ing to  stir  till  picked  up,  and  when  let  go  again,  they  would 
not  leave  the  ship,  but  endeavoured  to  hide  themselves  from 
the  wind. 

At  eight  o'clock  a  hurricane  ;  the  sea  roaring,  but  the  wina 
still  steady  to  a  point  ;  did  not  ship  a  spoonful  of  water. 
However,  got  the  hatchways  all  secured,  expecting  what  would 
be  the  consequence,  should  the  wind  shift  ;  placed  the  car- 
penters by  the  mainmast,  with  broad  axes,  knowing,  from  ex- 
perience, that  at  the  moment  you  may  want  to  cut  it  away  to 
save  the  ship,  an  axe  may  not  be  found.  Went  to  supper  : 
bread,  cheese,  and  porter.  The  purser  frightened  out  of  his 
wits  about  his  bread  bags  ;  the  two  marine  officers  as  white  as 
sheets,  not  understanding  the  ship's  working  so  much,  and  the 
noi«e  of  the  lower  deck  guns  ;  which,  by  this  time,  made  a 
pretty  screeching  to  people  not  used  to  it  ;  it  seemed  as  if  the 
whole  ship's  side  was  going  at  each  roll.  Wooden,  our  car- 
penter, was  a!l  this  time  smoking  his  pipe  and  laughing  at  the 
doctor  ;  the  second  lieutenant  upon  deck,  and  the  third  in  his 
hammock. 


TH*    LOSS    OF    THE    PUCENIX.  23 

At  tea  o'clock  I  thought  to  get  a  little  sleep  ;  came  to  look 
jito  my  cot  ;  it  was  full  of  water  ;  for  every  seam,  by  the 
straining  of  the  ship,  had  began  to  leak.  Stretched  myself, 
therefore,  upon  deck  between  two  chests,  and  left  orders  to  be 
called,  should  the  least  thing  happen.  At  twelve  a  midship- 
man came  to  me  :  "Mr.  Archer,  we  are  just  going  to  wear 
ship,  Sir  !"  "  0,  very  well,  I'll  be  up  directly,  what  sort  of 
weather  have  you  got  ?"  "  It  blows  a  hurricane."  Wen 
upon  deck,  found  Sir  Hyde  there.  "  It  blows  damned  hard 
Archer."  "It  does  indeed,  Sir."  "I  don't  know  that 
ever  remember  its  blowing  so  hard  before,  but  the  ship  makes 
a  good  weather  of  it  upon  this  tack,  as  she  bows  the  sea  ;  but 
we  must  wear  her,  as  the  wind  has  shifted  to  the  south-east, 
and  we  were  drawing  right  upon  Cuba;  so  do  you  go  for- 
ward, and  have  some  hands  stand  by  ;  loose  the  lee  yard-arm 
of  the  fore-sail,  and  when  she  is  right  before  the  wind,  whip 
the  clue-garnet  close  up,  and  roll  up  the  sail."  "  Sir  !  there 
is  no  canvass  can  stand  against  this  a  moment  ;  if  we  attempt 
to  loose  him  he  will  fly  into  ribands  in  an  instant,  and  we  may 
lose  three  or  four  of  our  people  ;  she'll  wear  by  manning  the 
fore  shrouds."  "  No,  I  don  t  think  she  will."  "  I'll  answer 
for  it,  Sir  ;  I  have  seen  it  tried  several  times  on  the  coast  of 
America  with  success."  "  Well,  try  it  ;  if  she  does  not  wear, 
we  can  only  loose  the  fore-sail  afterwards."  This  was  a 
great  condescension  from  such  a  man  as  Sir.  Hyde.  How- 
ever, by  sending  about  two  hundred  people  into  the  fore-rig- 
ging, after  a  hard  struggle,  she  wore  ;  found  she  did  not  make 
so  good  weather  on  this  tack  a6  on  the  other  ;  for  as  the  sea 
began  to  run  across,  she  had  not  time  to  rise  from  one  sea  be- 
fore another  lashed  against  her.  Began  to  think  we  should 
lose  our  masts,  as  the  ship  lay  very  much  along,  by  the  pres- 
sure of  the  wind  constantly  upon  the  yards  and  masts  alone  : 
for  the  poor  mizen-stay-sail  had  gone  in  shreds  long  before, 
and  the  sails  began  to  fly  from  the  yards  through  the  gaskets 
into  coach  whips.  My  God  !  to  think  that  the  wind  could 
have  such  force  ! 

Sir  Hyde  now  sent  me  to  see  what  was  the  matter  between 
decks,  as  there  was  a  good  deal  of  noise.  As  soon  as  I  was 
below,  one  of  the  Marine  officers  calls  out  :  "  Good  God 
Mr.  Archer,  we  are  sinking,  the  water  is  up  to  the  bottom  of  my 
cot."  "  Pooh,  pooh  !  as  long  as  it  is  not  over  your  mouth, 
you  are  well  off;  what  the  devil  do  you  make  this  noise  for  ?" 
I  found  there  was  some  water  between  decks,  but  nothing  to  b» 
alarmed  at  ;  scuttled  the  deck,  and  let  it  run  into  the  well 


£4  THB    LOSS   OF   THE    PHCBXIX. 

» 

found  she  made  a  good  deal  of  water  through  the  sides  and 
decks  ;  turned  the  watch  below  to  the  pumps,  though  only  two 
feet  of  water  in  the  well ;  but  expected  to  be  kept  constantly 
at  work  now,  as  the  ship  labored  much,  with  scarcely  a  par* 
of  her  above  water  but  the  quarter-deck,  and  that  but  seldom 
'  Come,  pump  away,  my  boys.  Carpenters,  g^t  the  weather 
chain-pump  rigged."  "  All  ready,  Sir."  "  Then  man  it 
and  keep  both  pumps  going." 

At  two  o'clock  the  chain-pump  was  choked  ;  set  the  car- 
penter at  work  to  clear  it  ;  the  two  head  pumps  at  work  upon 
deck  ;  the  ship  gained  on  us  while  our  chain-pumps  were  idle  ; 
in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  were  at  work  again,  and  we  began  to 
gain  upon  her  While  1  was  standing  at  the  pumps,  cheering 
the  peopK1,  the  carpenter's  mate  came  running  to  me  with  a 
face  as  long  as  my  arm  :  "  O,  Sir  !  the  ship  has  sprang  a  leak 
in  the  gunner's  room."  "Go,  then,  and  tell  the  carpenter  to 
come  to  me,  but  don't  speak  a  word  to  any  one  else.''  Mr. 
Goodinoh,  I  am  told  there  is  a  leak  in  the  gunner's  room  ;  go 
and  see  what  is  the  matter,  but  don't  alarm  any  body,  and  come 
and  make  your  report  privately  f.o  me."  In  a  short  time  he  re- 
turned :  "  Sir,  there  's  nothing  '.here,  'tis  only  the  water  wash- 
ing up  between  the  timbers  that  this  booby  has  taken  for  a 
leak."  "  0,  very  well  ;  go  upon  deck  and  see  if  you  can 
keep  any  of  the  water  from  washing  down  below."  l  Sir,  I 
have  had  four  people  constantly  keeping  the  hatchways  secure, 
but  there  is  such  a  weight  of  water  upon  the  deck  that  nobody 
can  stand  it  wl.en  the  ship  rolls."  The  gunner  soon  after- 
wards came  to  me  :  "  Mr.  Archer,  I  should  be  glad  if  you 
would,  step  this  way  into  the  magazine  for  a  moment  :"  1 
thought  some  damned  thing  was  the  matter,  and  ran  directly  : 
""Well,  what  is  the  matter  here  ?"  "  The  ground-tier  of  pow- 
der is  spoiled,  and  1  want  to  show  you  that  it  is  not  out  of 
carelessness  in  stowing  it,  for  no  powder  in  the  world  could 
be  better  stowed.  Now,  Sir,  what  am  I  to  do  ?  if  you  don't 
speak  to  Sir  Hyde,  he  will  be  angry  with  me."  I  could  not 
forbear  smiling  to  see  how  easy  he  took  the  danger  of  the  ship, 
and  said  to  him:  "Let  us  shake  off  ^his  gale  of  wmd  first, 
and  talk  of  the  damaged  powder  afterwards." 

At  four  we  had  gained  upon  the  ship  a  little,  and  I  went 
upon  deck,  it  being  my  watch.  The  second  lieutenant  reliev- 
ed me  at  the  pumps.  Who  can  attempt  to  describe  the  ap- 
pearance ol  things  upon  deck  ?  If  I  was  to  write  for  ever  1 
could  not  give  you  an  idea  of  it — a  total  darkness  al)  above 
he  sea  on  fire,  running  as  it  were  in  Alps,  or  Peaks  of  Ten 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    I'HtF.MX.  25 

• 

enffe  ;  (mountains  are  too  common  an  idea)  ;  the  wind  roar- 
ing louder  than  thunder,  (absolutely  no  flight  of  imagination), 
the  whole  made  more  terrible,  il  possible,  by  a  very  uncom- 
mon kind  of  blue  lightning  ;  the  poor  ship  very  much  pressed, 
yet  doing  what  she  could,  shaking  her  sides,  and  groaning  at 
every  stroke.  Sir  Hyde  upon  deck  lashed  to  windward  !  I 
soon  lashed  myself  alongside  of  him,  and  told  him  the  situa- 
tion of  things  below,  saying  the  ship  did  not  make  more  water 
than  might  be  expected  in  such  weather,  and  that  I  was  only 
afraid  of  a  gun  breaking  loose.  "  I  arn  not  in  the  least  afraid 
of  that  ;  I  have  commanded  her  six  years,  and  have  had  many 
a  gale  of  wind  in  her  ;  so  that  her  iron  work,  which  always 
gives  way  first,  is  pretty  well  tried.  Hold  fast  !  that  was  an 
ugly  sea  ;  we  must  lower  the  yards,  I  believe,  Archer  ;  the 
ship  is  much  pressed."  "  If  we  attempt  it,  Sir,  we  shall  lose 
them,  for  a  man  aloft  can  do  nothing  ;  besides  their  being 
down  would  ease  the  ship  very  little  ;  the  mainmast  is  a 
sprung  mast  ;  I  wish  it  was  overboard  without  carrying  any 
thing  else  along  with  it ;  but  that  can  soon  be  done,  the  gale 
cannot  last  for  ever  ;  'twill  soon  be  daylight  now."  Found 
by  the  master's  watch  that  it  was  five  o'clock,  though  but  a 
little  after  four  by  ours  ;  glad  it  was  so  near  daylight,  and 
looked  for  it  with  much  anxiety.  Cuba,  thou  art  much  in  our 
way  !  Another  ugly  sea  :  sent  a  midshipman  to  bring  news 
from  the  pumps  :  the  ship  was  gaining  on  them  very  much,  for 
they  had  broken  one  of  their  chains,  but  it  was  almost  mend- 
ed agai?.  News  from  the  pump  again.  "  She  still  gains  !  a 
heavy  lee  !"  Back-water  from  leeward,  half-way  up  the 
quarter-deck  ;  filled  one  of  the  cutters  upon  the  booms,  and 
tore  her  all  to  pieces  ;  the  ship  lying  almost  on  her  beam 
ends,  and  not  attempting  to  right  again.  Word  from  below 
that  the  ship  still  gained  on  them,  as  they  could  not  stand  to 
the  pumps,  she  lay  so  much  along.  I  said  to  Sir  Hyde  : 
"  This  is  no  time,  Sir,  to  think  of  saving  the  masts,  shall  we 
cut  the  mainmast  away  ?"  u  Ay  !  as  fast  as  you  can."  I 
accordingly  wont  into  the  weather  chains  with  a  pole-axe,  to 
cut  a\vay  the  lanyards  ;  the  boatswain  went  to  leeward,  and  the 
carpenters  stood  by  the  mast.  We  were  all  ready,  when  a  very 
violent  sea  broke  right  on  board  of  us,  carried  every  thing 
upon  deck  away,  filled  the  ship  with  water,  the  main  and  miz- 
en  masts  w.e.nt,  the  ship  righted,  but  was  in  the  last  struggle 
of  sinking  under  us. 

As  soon  as  we  could  shake  our  heads  above  water,  Sh 
Hyde  exclaimed  :     "  We  are  gone,  at   last,  Archer  !   found 

VOL.    II.  ~ 


26  THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PHOENIX 

ered  at  sea  !"  "  Yes,  Sir,  farewell,  and  the  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  us  !"  I  then  turned  about  to  look  forward  at  the  ship  ; 
and  thought  she  was  struggling  to  get  rid  of  some  of  the  water  ; 
but  all  in  vain,  she  was  almost  full  below  "Almighty  God  !  1 
thank  thee,  that  now  I  am  leaving  this  world,  which  I  have 
always  considered  as  only  a  passage  to  a  better,  I  die  with  i 
full  hope  of  the  mercies,  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christj 
thy  son,  our  Saviour  !'' 

I  then  felt  sorry  that  I  could  swim,  as  by  that  means  I  migH 
be  a  quarter  of  an  hour  longer  dying  than  a  man  who  could 
not,  and  it  is  impossible  to  divest  ourselves  of  a  wish  to  pre- 
serve life.  At  the  end  of  these  reflections  I  thought  I  heard 
the  ship  thump  and  grinding  under  our  feet  ;  it  was  so.  "  Sir, 
the  ship  is  ashore  !"  "  What  do  you  say  ?"  "  The  ship  is 
ashore,  and  we  may  save  ourselves  yet  !"  By  this  time  the 
quarter-deck  was  full  of  men  who  had  come  up  from  below  ;  and 
'the  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us,'  flying  about  from  all  quarters 
The  ship  now  made  every  body  sensible  that  she  was  ashore, 
for  every  stroke  threatened  a  total  dissolution  of  her  whole 
frame  ;  found  she  was  stern  ashore,  and  the  bow  broke  the 
gea  a  good  deal,  though  it  was  washing  clean  over  at  every 
stroke.  Sir  Hyde  cried  out  :  "  Keep  to  the  quarter-deck,  my 
lads,  when  she  goes  to  pieces,  't  is  your  best  chance  !"  Pro- 
videntially got  the  foremast  cut  away,  that  she  might  not  pay 
round  broad-side.  Lost  five  men  cutting  away  the  fore-mast, 
by  the  breaking  of  a  sea  on  board  just  as  the  mast  went. 
That  was  nothing  ;  every  one  expected  it  would  be  his  own 
fate  next ;  looked  for  daybreak  with  the  greatest  impatience. 
At  last  it  carne  ;  but  what  a  scene  did  it  show  us  !  The  ship 
upon  a  bed  of  rocks,  mountains  of  them  on  one  side,  and  Cor- 
dilleras of  water  on  the  other  ;  our  poor  ship  grinding  and  cry- 
ing out  at  every  stroke  between  them  ;  going  away  by  piece- 
meal. However,  to  show  the  unaccountable  workings  of  Pro- 
vidence, that  which  often  appears  to  be  the  greatest  evil, 
.proved  to  be  the  greatest  good  !  That  unmerciful  sea  lifted 
and  beat  us  up  so  high  among  the  rocks,  that  at  last  the  ship 
scarcely  moved.  She  was  very  strong,  and  did  not  go  to 
pieces  at  the  first  thumping,  though  her  decks  tumbled  in. 
We  found  afterwards  that  she  had  beat  over  a  ledge  of  rocks, 
almost  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  extent  beyond  us,  where,  if  she 
had  struck,  every  soul  of  us  must  have  perished. 

I  now  began  to  think  of  getting  on  shore,  so  stripped  off  my 
coat  and  shoes  for  a  swim,  and  looked  for  a  line  to  carry  the 
end  with  me.  Luckily  could  not  find  one,  which  gave  me 


THE    LOSS   OF   THE    PHOCNIX.  27 

time  for  recollection  .  "  This  wont  do  for  me,  to  be  the  first 
man  out  of  the  ship,  and  first  lieutenant  ;  we  may  get  to  Eng- 
land again,  and  people  may  think  I  paid  a  great  deal  of  atten- 
tion to  myself  und  did  not  care  for  any  body  else.  No,  that 
wont  do  ;  instead  of  being  tile  first,  I  '11  see  every  man,  sick 
and  well,  out  of  her  before  me." 

I  now  thought  there  was  no  probability  of  the  sh'p's  soon 
going  to  pieces,  therefore  had  not  a  thought  of  instant  death  : 
took  a  look  round  with  a  kind  of  philosophic  eye,  to  see  how 
the  same  situation  affected  my  companions,  and  was  surprised 
to  find  the  most  swaggering,  swearing  bullies  in  fine  weather, 
now  the  most  pitiful  wretches  on  earth,  when  death  appeared 
before  them.  However,  two  g^t  safe ;  by  which  means, 
with  a  line,  we  got  a  hawser  on  shore,  and  made  fast  to  the 
rocks,  upon  which  many  ventured  and  arrived  safe.  There 
were  some  sick  and  wounded  on  board,  who  could  not  avail 
themselves  of  this  method  ;  we,  therefore,  got  a  spare  top-sail- 
yard  from  the  chains  and  placed  one  end  ashore  and  the  other 
on  the  cabin  window,  so  that  most  of  the  sick  got  ashore  this 
way 

As  I  had  determined,  so  I  was  the  last  man  out  of  the  ship  ; 
this  was  about  ten  o'clock.  The  gale  now  began  to  break. 
Sir  Hyde  came  to  me,  and  taking  me  by  the  hand  was  so  af- 
fected that  he  was  scarcely  able  to  speak  "  Archer,  I  am 
happy  beyond  expression,  to  see  you  on  shore,  but  look  at 
our  poor  Phcenix  !"  I  turned  about,  but  could  not  say  a 
single  word,  being  too  full  :  my  mind  had  been  too  intensely 
occupied  before  ;  but  every  thing  now  rushed  upon  me  at 
once,  so  that  I  could  not  contain  myself,  and  I  indulged  for  a 
full  quarter  of  an  hour  in  tears. 

By  twelve  it  was  pretty  moderate;  got  some  nails  on  shore 
and  made  tents;  found  great  quantities  of  fish  driven  up  by 
the  sea  into  the  holes  of  the  rocks;  knocked  up  a  fire,  and 
had  a  most  comfortable  dinner.  In  the  afternoon  made  a 
stage  from  the  cabin-windows  to  the  rocks,  and  got  out  some 
provisions  and  water,  lest  the  ship  should  go  to  pieces,  in 
which  case  we  must  all  have  perished  of  hunger  and  thirst; 
for  we  were  upon  a  desolate  part  of  the  coast,  and  under  a 
rocky  mountain,  that  could  not  supply  us  with  a  single  drop 
of  water. 

Slept  comfortably  this  night  and  the  next  day,  the  idea  of 
death  vanishing  by  degrees,  the  prospect  of  being  prisoners, 
during  the  war,  at  the  Havana,  and  walking  three  hundred 
miles  to  it  through  the  woods,  was  rather  unpleasant.  H«*w- 


28  THE    LOSS   OF    THE    PHfENIX 

sver,  to  savo  life  for  the  present,  we  employed  this  day  in 
getting  more  provisions  and  water  on  shore,  which  was  not  an 
easy  matter,  an  account  of  decks,  guns  and  rubbish,  and  ten 
feet  water  that  lay  over  them.  In  the  evening  I  proposed 
to  Sir  Hyde  to  repair  the  remains  of  the  only  boat  left, 
and  to  venture  in  her  to  Jamaica  myself;  and  in  case  I  arriv- 
ed safe,  to  bring  vessels  to  take  them  all  off;  a  proposal  wor- 
thy of  consideration.  It  was,  next  day,  fip-i-oed  to;  therefore 
got  the  cutter  on  shore,  and  set  the  carpei  isto  work  on  her; 
in  two  days  she  was  ready,  and  at  four  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon 1  embarked  with  four  volunteers  and  a  fortnight's  provi- 
sion, hoisted  English  colors  as  we  put  off  from  the  shore, 
and  received  three  cheers  fHm  the  lads  left  behind,  which  we 
returned,  and  set  sail  with  a  light  heart;  having  not  the  least 
doubt,  that,  with  God's  assistance,  we  should  come  and  bring 
them  all  off.  Had  a  very  squally  night,  and  a  very  leaky 
boat,  so  as  to  keep  two  buckets  constantly  bailing.  Steered  her 
myself  the  whole  night  by  the  stars,  and  in  the  morning  saw 
the  coast  of  Jamaica  distant  twelve  leagues.  At  eight  in  the 
evening  arrived  at  Montego  Bay. 

I  must  now  begin  to  leave  off,  particularly  as  I  have  but 
half  an  hour  .to  conclude;  else  my  pretty  little  short  letter 
will  lose  its  passage,  which  I  should  not  like,  after  being  ten 
days,  at  different  times,  writing  it,  beating  up  with  the  con- 
voy to  the  northward,  which  is  a  reason  that  this  epistle  will 
never  read  well;  as  1  never  set  down  with  a  proper  disposition  to 
go  on  with  it;  but  as  I  knew  something  of  the  kind  would  please 
you,  I  was  resolved  to  finish  it;  yet  it  will  not  bear  an  over- 
haul; so  don't  expose  your  son's  nonsense. 

But  to  proceed — I  instantly  sent  off  an  express  to  the  ad- 
miral, another  to  the  Porcupine  man  of  war,  and  went  my- 
self to  Martha  Bray  to  get  vessels;  for  all  their  vessels  here, 
as  well  as  many  of  their  houses,  were  gone  to  Moco.  Get 
three  small  vessels,  and  set  out  back  again  to  Cuba,  where  1 
arrived  the  fourth  day  after  leaving  my  companions.  I 
thought  the  ship's  crew  would  have  devoured  me  on  my  land- 
ing; they  presently  whisked  me  up  on  their  shoulders  and  car- 
ried me  to  the  tent  where  Sir  Hyde  was. 

I  must  omit  many  little  occurrences  that  happened  on  shore, 
for  want  of  time;  but  I  shall  have  a  number  of  stories  to  tell 
when  I  get  alongside  of  you;  and  the  next  time  I  visit  you  I 
shall  not  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  quit  you  as  I  was  the  last,  for 
then  I  hoped  my  nest  would  have  been  pretty  well  feather' 
ed: — But  my  tale  is  forgotten. 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PHdKITIX.  t9 

I  found  the  Porcupine  had  arrived  that  day,  and  the  lada 
had  built  a  boat  almost  ready  for  launching,  that  would  hold 
fifty  of  'hem,  which  was  intended  for  another  trial,  in  case  I 
had  foundered.  Next  day  embarked  all  our  people  that  were 
left,  amounting  to  two  hundred  and  fifty;  for  some  had  died 
of  their  wounds  they  received  in  getting  on  shore;  others  of 
drinking  rum,  and  others  had  straggled  into  the  country. — 
All  our  vessels  were  so  full  of  people,  that  we  could  not  take 
away  the  few  clothes  that  were  saved  from  the  wreck;  but 
that  was  a  trifle  since  we  had  preserved  our  lives  and  liberty. 
To  make  short  of  my  story,  we  all  arrived  safe  at  Montego 
Bay,  and  shortly  after  at  Port  Royal,  in  the  Janus,  which 
was  sent  on  purpose  for  us,  and  were  all  honorably  acquitted 
for  the  loss  of  the  ship.  I  was  made  admiral's  aid-de-camp, 
and  a  little  time  afterwards  sent  down,  to  St.  Juan's  as  captain 
of  the  Resource,  to  bring  what  were  left  of  the  poor  devils  to 
Blue  Fields,  on  the  Musquito  shore,  and  then  to  Jamaica, 
where  they  arrived  after  three  month's  absence,  and  without 
a  prize,  though  I  looked  out  hard  off  Porto  Bello  and  Cartha-' 
gena.  Found  in  my  absence  that  I  had  been  appointed  cap- 
tain of  the  Tobago,  where  I  remain  his  majesty's  most  true 
and  faithful  servant,  and  my  dear  mother's  most  dutiful  son, 

ARCHER 


so 


AH    ACCOUNT   OF    THE    WHALE   FISHEBf 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  WHALE  FISHERY,. 

WITH  ANECDOTES  OF  THE  DANGERS  ATTENDING  IT 

Historians,  in  general,  have  given  to  the  Biscay ans  the 
credit  of  having  first  practiced  the  fishery  for  the  Whale;  the 
English,  and  afterwards  the  Dutch  are  supposed  to  have  fol- 
lowed in  the  pursuit.  It  was  prosecuted  by  the  Norwegians 
so  early  as  the  ninth  century,  and  by  the  Icelanders  about  the 
eleventh.  It  was  not  till  the  seventeenth  century  however, 
that  the  whale  fishery  was  engaged  in  by  the  maritime  nations 
of  Europe  as  an  important  branch  of  commerce. 

The  crew  of  a  whale  ship  usually  consists  of  forty  to  fifty 
men,  comprising  several  classes  of  officers,  such  as  harpoon- 
ersv  boat-steerers,  line-managers,  kc.  together  with  fore-mast- 
men,  landmen  and  apprentices.  As  a  stimulus  to  the  crew  in 
the  fishery,  every  individual,  from  the  master  down  to  the 
boys,  besides  his  monthly  pay,  receives  either  a  gratuity  for 
every  size  fish  caught  during  the  voyage,  or  a  certain  sum  for 
every  ton  of  oil  which  the  cargo  produces.  Masters  and  har- 
pooners  receive  a  small  sum  before  sailing,  in  place  of  month- 
ly wages;  and  if  thev  procure  no  cargo  whatever,  they  re- 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    WHALE    FISHERY.  31 

ceive  nothing  more  for  their  voyage ;  but  in  the  event  of  a 
successful  fishing,  their  advantages  are  considerable 

The  crow's  nest  is  an  apparatus  placed  on  the  main-top- 
mast, or  top-gallant-mast  head,  as  a  watch  tower  for  the  offi- 
cer on  the  lookout.  It  is  closely  defended  from  the  wind  and 
cold,  and  is  furnished  with  a  speaking  trumpet,  a  telescope  and 
rifle.  The  most  favorable  opportunity  for  prosecuting  the  fishery 
in  the  Greenland  seas,  commonly  occurs  with  north,  north-west 
or  west  winds .  At  such  times  the  sea  is  smooth,  and  the  atmos- 
phere, though  cloudy  and  dark,  is  generally  free-  from  fog  and 
snow.  The  fishers  prefer  a  cloudy  to  a  clear  sky;  because 
in  very  bright  weather,  the  sea  becomes  illuminated,  and  the 
shadows  of  the  whale-boats  are  so  deeply  impressed  in  the 
water  by  the  beams  of  the  sun  that  the  whales  are  apt  to  take 
the  alarm.  Fogs  are  only  so  far  unfavorable  as  being  liable 
to  endanger  the  boats  by  shutting  out  the  sight  of  the  ship. — 
A  well  constructed  whale-boat  floats  lightly  and  safely  on  the 
water, — is  capable  of  being  rowed  with  great  speed,  and  readily 
turned  round, — it  is  of  such  capacity  that  it  carries  six  or  seven 
men,  seven  or  eight  hundred  weight  of  whale-lines,  and  va- 
rious other  materials,  and  yet  retains  the  necessary  properties 
of  safety  and  speed.  Whale-boats  being  very  liable  to  re- 
ceive damage,  both  from  whales  and  ice,  are  always  carver- 
built, a  structure  which  is  easily  repaired.  The  instru- 
ments of  general  use  in  the  capture  of  the  whale,  are  the  har- 
poon and  lance.  There  is,  moreover,  a  kind  of  harpoon  which 
is  shot  from  a  gun,  but  being  difficult  to  adjust,  it  is  seldom 
used.  Each  boat  is  likewise  furnished  with  a  "jack"  or 
flag  fastened  to  a  pole,  intended  to  be  displayed  as  a  signal 
whenever  a  whale  is  harpooned.  The  crew  of  a  whale-ship 
are  separated  in  divisions,  equal  in  number  to  the  number  of  the 
boats.  Each  division,  consisting  of  aharpooner,  a  boat-steer- 
er,  and  a  line-manager,  together  with  three  or  four  rowers, 
constitutes  a  "  boats  crew." 

On  fishing  stations,  when  the  weather  is  such  as  to  render 
the  fishery  practicable,  the  boats  are  always  ready  for  instant 
service.  The  crow's  nest  is  generally  occupied  by  one  of 
the  officers,  who  keeps  an  anxious  watch  for  the  appearance 
of  a  whale.  The  moment  that  a  fish  is  seen,  he  gives  notice 
to  the  "  watch  upon  deck,"  part  of  whom  leap  into  a  boat,  are 
lowered  down,  and  push  off  towards  the  place.  If  the  fish  be 
large,  a  second  boat  is  despatched  to  the  support  of  the  other; 
and  when  the  whole  of  the  boats  are  sent  out,  the  ship  is  said 
to  have  a  "a  loose  fall."  There  are  several  rules  observed 


9$  All   ACCOUNT   Or   THE    WHALE    FISHERY. 

In  approaching  a  whale  to  prevent  tho  animal  from  taking 
the  alarm.  As  the  whale  is  dull  of  hearing,  but  quick 
of  sight,  the  boat-steerer  always  endeavors  to  get  behind  it ; 
and,  in  accomplishing  this,  he  is  sometimes  justified  in  tak- 
ing a  circuitous  rout.  In  calm  weather,  where  guns  are 
not  used,  the  greatest  caution  is  necessary  before  a  whale 
can  be  reached;  smooth  careful  rowing  is  always  requisite, 
and  sometimes  sculling  is  practiced.  It  is  a  primary  consid- 
eration with  the  harpooner,  always  to  place  his  boat  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  spot  in  which  he  expects  the  fish  to  rise,  and 
he  conceives  himself  successful  in  the  attempt  when  the  fish 
'comes  up  within  a  start,"  that  is,  within  the  distance  of 
about  two  hundred  yards. 

Whenever  a  whale  lies  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  uncon- 
scious of  the  approach  of  its  enemies,  the  hardy  fisher  rows 
directly  upon  it  ;  and  an  instant  before  the  boat  touches  it, 
buries  his  harpoon  in  his  back.  The  wounded  whale,  in  the 
surprise  and  agony  of  the  moment,  makes  a  convulsive  effort 
to  escape.  Then  is  the  moment  of  danger.  The  boat  is  sub- 
jected to  the  most  violent  blows  from  its  head,  or  its  fins,  but 
particularly  from  its  ponderous  tail,  which  sometimes  sweeps 
the  air  with  such  tremendous  fury,  that  boat  and  men  are  ex- 
posed to  one  common  destruction. 

The  head  of  the  whale  is  avoided,  because  it  cannot  be 
penetrated  with  the  harpoon ;  but  any  part  of  the  body,  be- 
tween the  head  and  the  tail,  will  admit  of  the  full  length  of 
the  instrument,  without  dauger  of  obstruction.  The  moment 
that  the  wounded  whale  disappears,  a  flag  is  displayed;  on 
sight  of  which,  those  on  watch  in  the  ship,  give  the  alarm,  by 
stamping  on  the  deck,  accompanied  by  shouts  of  "  a  fall." — 
At  the  sound  of  this,  the  sleeping  crew  are  roused,  jump  from 
their  beds,  rush  upon  deck,  and  crowd  into  the  boats.  The 
alarm  of  "a  fall,''  has  a  singular  effect  on  the  feelings  of  a 
sleeping  person,  unaccustomed  to  hearing  it.  It  has  often 
been  mistaken  as  a  cry  of  distress.  A  landsman,  seeing  the 
crew,  on  an  occasion  of  a  fall,  leap  into  the  b-oats  in  their 
shirts,  imagined  that  the  ship  was  sinking.  He  therefore 
tried  to  get  into  a  boat  himself,  but  every  one  of  them  being 
fully  manned,  he  was  refused.  After  several  fruitless  endeav- 
ors to  gain  a  place  among  his  comrades,  he  cried  out,  in  evi- 
dent distress,  "  What  shall  I  do? — Will  none  of  you  take  mo 
in?" 

The  first  effort  of  a  "fast-fish,"  or  whale  that  has  been 
•truck;  b  to  escape  from  the  boat  by  sinking  under  water 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    WHALE   FISHERY  S3 

After  this,  it  pursues  its  course  downward,  or  reappears  at  a 
litlle  distance,  and  swims  with  great  celerity,  near  the  surface 
of  the  water.  It  sometimes  returns  instantly  to  the  surface, 
and  gives  evidence  of  its  agony  hy  the  most  convulsive  throes 
The  downward  course  of  a  whale  is,  however,  the  most  com- 
mon. A  whaie,  struck  near  the  edge  of  any  large  sheet  of 
ice,  and  passing  underneath  it,  will  sometimes  run  the  whole 
of  the  lines  out  of  one  boat.  The  approaching  distress  of  a 
boat,  for  want  of  line,  is  indicated  by  the  elevation  of  an  oar, 
to  which  is  added  a  second,  a  third,  or  even  a  fourth,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  nature  of  the  exigence.  The  utmost  care  and 
attention  are  requisite,  on  the  part  of  every  person  in  the 
boat,  when  the  lines  are  running  out;  fatal  consequences  hav- 
ing  been  sometimes  produced  by  the  most  trifling  neglect. — 
When  the  line  happens  to  "  run  foul,"  and  cannot  be  cleared 
on  the  instant,  it  sometimes  draws  the  boat  under  water;  on 
which,  if  no  auxiliary  boat,  or  convenient  piece  of  ice,  be  at 
hand,  the  crew  a  plunged  into  the  sea,  and  are  obliged  to  trust 
to  their  oars  or  their  skill  in  swimming,  for  supporting  them 
selves  on  the  surface. 

Captain  Scoresby  relates  an  accident  of  this  kind,  which 
happened  on  his  first  voyage  to  the  whale  fishery.  A  thou- 
sand fathoms  of  line  were  already  out,  and  the  fast-boat  \va«j 
forcibly  pressed  against  the  side  of  a  piece  of  ice.  The  har 
pooncr,  in  his  anxiety  to  retard  the  flight  of  the  whale,  ap- 
plied too  many  turns  of  the  line  round  the  bollard,  which, 
getting  entangled,  drew  the  boat  beneath  the  ice.  Another 
boat,  providentially  was  at  hand,  into  which  the  crew  had 
just  time  to  escape.  The  whale,  with  near  two  miles  length 
of  line,  was,  in  consequence  of  the  accident,  lost,  but  the 
boat  was  recovered. 

The  average  stay  under  water  of  a  wounded  whale  is  aoout 
thirty  minutes.  When  it  reappears,  the  assisting  boats  make 
for  the  place  with  their  utmost  speed,  and  as  they  reach  it, 
each  harpooner  plunges  his  harpoon  into  its  back,  to  the 
amount  of  three,  four,  or  more,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
whale.  It  is  then  actively  plied  with  lances,  which  are  thrust 
into  its  body,  aiming  at  its  vitals.  The  sea  to  a  great  extent 
around  is  dyed  with  its  blood,  and  the  noise  made  by  its  tail 
in  its  dying  struggle,  may  be  heard  several  miles.  In  dying, 
it  turns  on  its  back  or  on  its  side;  which  circumstance  is  an- 
nounced by  the  capturers  with  the  striking  of  their  flags,  ac- 
companied with  three  lively  huzzas  ! 
VOL.  li  2* 


34  AN     ACCOUNT    OK     Till'.    WJIA1  E     I  1SHKRV 

Whales  are  sometimes  captured,  with  a  single  harpoon,  ic 
the  space  of  fifteen  minutes.  Sometimes  they  resist  forty  01 
fifty  hours,  and  at  times  they  will  break  three  or  four  lines  at 
oi>ce,  or  tear  themselves  clear  off*  the  harpoons,  by  the  vio- 
lence of  their  struggles.  Generally  the  capture  of  a  whale 
depends  on  the  activity  of  the  harpooner,  the  state  of  th* 
wind  find  weather,  or  the  peculiar  conduct  of  the  animal  it- 
self. Under  the  most  favourable  circumstances,  the  length 
of  time  does  not  exceed  an  hour.  The  general  average  may 
be  stated  at  two  hours.  Instances  have  occurred  where 
whales  have  been  taken  without  being  struck  at  all,  simply  by 
entangling  themselves  in  the  lines  that  had  been  used  to  de- 
stroy others,  and  struggling  till  they  were  drowned  or  died  of 
exhaustion. 

The  fishery  for  whales,  when  conducted  at  the  margin  of 
those  wonderful  sheets  of  ice,  called  fields,  is,  when  the 
weather  is  fine,  and  the  refuge  for  ships  secure,  the  most 
agreeable,  and  sometimes  the  most  productive  of  all  other 
ways.  When  the  fish  can  be* observed  "blowing"  in  any  of 
the  holes  of  a  field,  the  men  travel  over  the  ice  and  attack  it 
with  lances  to  turn  it  back.  As  connected  witli  this  subject, 
Captain  Scoresby  relates  the  following  circumstance,  which 
occurred  under  his  own  observation. 

On  the  eighth  of  July,  1813,  the  ship  Esk  lay  by  the  edge 
of  a  large  sheet  of  ice,  in  which  there  were  several  thin  parts, 
and  some  holes.  Here  a  whale  being  heard  blowing,  a  har- 
poon, with  a  line  fastened  to  it,  was  conveyed  across  the  ice, 
from  a  boat  on  guard,  and  the  harpooner  succeeded  in  striking 
the  whale,  at  the  distance  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
from  the  verge.  It  dragged  out  ten  lines,  (2400  yards,)  and 
was  supposed  to  be  seen  blowing  in  different  holes  in  the  ice. 
After  some  time  it  made  its  appearance  on  the  exterior,  and  was 
again  struck,  at  the  moment  it  was  about  to  go  under  the  sec- 
ond time.  About  an  hundred  yards  from  the  edge,  it  broke  the 
ice  where  it  was  a  foot  thick,  witli  its  head,  and  respired 
through  the  opening.  It  then  pushed  forward,  breaking  the 
ice  as  it  advanced,  in  spite  of  the  lances  constantly  directed 
agamsl  i*.  At  last  it  reached  a  kind  of  basin  in  the  field, 
where  it  floated  on  the  surface  without  any  incumbrance 
from  ice.  Its  back  being  fairly  exposed,  the  harpoon  struck 
from  the  boat  on  the  outside,  was  observed  to  be  so  slightly 
entangled,  that  it  was  ready  to  drop  out.  Some  of  the  offi- 
cers lamented  this  circumstance,  and  wished  that  the  harpoon 
might  be  better  fast;  at  the  same  time  observing  that  if  it 


A*    ACCOUNT   OP    TUB    WHALE   FISHERY  35 

should  slip  out,  either  the  fish  would  be  lost,  or  they  should 
be  under  the  necessity  of  flensing  it  where  it  lay,  and  of 
dragging  the  blubber  over  the  ice  to  the  ship;  a  kind  and  de- 
gree of  labor  every  one  was  anxious  to  avoid.  No  sooner 
was  the  wish  expressed,  and  its  importance  explained,  than  a 
young  and  daring  sailor  stepped  forward,  and  ottered  to  strike 
the  harpoon  deeper.  Not  at  all  intimidated  by  the  surprise 
manifested  on  every  countenance  at  such  a  bold  proposal,  he 
leaped  on  the  back  of  the  living  whale,  and  cut  the  harpoon 
out  with  his  pocket  knife.  Stimulated  by  his  gallant  example, 
one  of  his  companions  proceeded  to  his  assistance.  While 
one  of  them  hauled  upon  the  line  and  held  it  in  his  hands,  the 
other  set  his  shoulder  against  the  end  of  the  harpoon,  and 
though  it  was  without  a  stock,  contrived  to  strike  it  again 
into  the  fish  more  effectually  than  at  first!  The  whale  was  in 
motion  before  they  had  finished.  After  they  got  ofF  its  back, 
it  advanced  a  considerable  distance, breaking  the  ice  all  the  way, 
and  survived  this  novel  treatment  ten  or  fifteen  minutes.  This 
daring  deed  was  of  essential  service.  The  whale  fortunately 
sunk  spontaneously  after  it  expired;  on  which  it  was  hauled 
out  under  the  ice  by  the  line  and  secured  without  farther  trou- 
ble. It  proved  a  mighty  whale;  a  very  considerable  prize. 

When  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  a  large  whale,  it  is  a  neces- 
sary precaution  for  two  boats  at  all  times  to  proceed  in  com- 
pany, that  the  one  may  be  able  to  assist  the  other,  on  any 
emergency.  With  this  principle  in  view,  two  boats  from  the 
Esk  were  sent  out  in  chase  of  some  large  whales,  on  the  13th 
of  June  1814.  No  ice  was  within  sight.  The  boats  had  pro- 
ceeded some  time  together,  when  they  separated  in  pursuit 
of  two  whales,  not  far  distant  from  each  other;  when,  by  a 
singular  coincidence,  the  harpooners  each  struck  his  fish  at 
the  same  moment.  They  were  a  mile  from  the  ship.  Urgent 
signals  for  assistance  were  displayed  by  each  boat,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  one  of  the  harpooners  was  obliged  to  slip  the  end 
of  his  line.  Fortunately  the  other  fish  did  not  descend  SQ 
deep,  and  the  lines  in  the  boat  proved  adequate  for  the  occa- 
sion. One  of  the  fish  being  then  supposed  to  be  lost,  five  of 
the  boats  out  of  seven  attended  on  the  fish  which  yet  remain- 
ed entangled,  and  speedily  killed  it.  A  short  time  afterwards, 
the  other  fish  supposed  to  be  lost,  was  descried  at  a  little  dis- 
tance from  the  place  where  it  was  struck; — three  boats  pro- 
ceeded against  it; — it  was  immediately  struck,  and  in  twenty 
minutes  also  killed.  Thus  were  fortunately  captured  two 
whales,  both  of  which  had  been  despaired  of.  They  pro- 


36 


AX    ACCOUNT    OP    THE    WHALE    FISHERY 


duccd  near  forty  tons  of  oil,  value,  at  that  time  £1400.     Th« 
lines  attached  to  the  last  fish  were  recovered  with  it. 

Before  a  whale  can  be  flensed,  as  the  operation  of  taking 
off  the  fat  and  whalebone  is  called,  some  preliminary  measures 
are  requisite.  These  consist  in  securing  the  whale  to  the 
boat,  cutting  away  the  attached  whale-lines,  lashing  the  fins 
together,  and  towing  it  to  the  ship.  Some  curious  circum- 
stances connected  with  these  operations  may  be  mentioned 
hero 


In  the  year  1816,  a  fish  was  to  all  appearance  killed  by  the 
crew  of  the  Esk.  The  fins  were  partly  lashed,  and  the  tai 
on  the  point  of  being  secured,  and  all  the  lines  excepting  one, 
weie  cut  away,  the  fish  meanwhile  lying  as  if  dead.  To 
the  alarm,  however,  of  the  sailors,  it  revived,  began  to  move, 
and  pressed  forward  in  a  convulsive  agitation;  soon  after  it 
sunk  in  the  water  to  some  depth,  and  then  died.  One' line 
fortunately  remained  attached  to  it,  by  which  it  was  drawn  tc 
the  surface  and  secured. 

A  suspension  of  labor  is  generally  allowed  after  the  whale 
has  been  secured  aside  of  the  ship,  and  before  the  commence- 
ment of  the  operation  of  flensing.  An  unlucky  circumstance 
once  occured  in  an  interval  of  this  kind.  At  that  period  of  the 
fishery,  (forty  or  fifty  years  ago,)  when  a  single  stout  whale. 


AN    ACCOUNT   OF   THE   WHALE    FISHERY.  87 

together  with  the  bounty,  was  found  sufficient  to  remunerate 
the  owners  of  a  ship  for  the  expenses  of  the  voyage,  great 
joy  was  exhibited  on  the  capture  of  a  whale,  by  the  fishers. 
They  were  not  only  cheered  by  a  dram  of  spirits,  but  some- 
times provided  with  some  favorite  "mess,"  on  which  to  regale 
themselves,  before  they  commenced  the  arduous  task  of  flens- 
ing. At  such  a  period,  the  crew  of  an  English  vessel  had 
captured  their  first  whale.  It  was  taken  to  the  ship,  placed 
on  the  lee-side,  and  though  the  wind  blew  a  strong  breeze,  it 
was  fastened  only  by  a  small  rope  attached  to  the  fin.  In 
this  state  of  supposed  security,  all  hands  retired  to  regale 
themselves,  the  captain  himself  not  excepted.  The  ship  be- 
ing at  a  distance  from  any  ice,  and  the  fish  believed  to  be  fast, 
they  made  no  great  haste  in  their  enjoyment.  At  length,  the 
specksioneer,  or  chief  harpooner,  having  spent  sufficient  time 
in  indulgence  and  equipment,  with  an  air  of  importance  and 
self-confidence,  proceeded  on  deck,  and  naturally  turned  to 
look  on  the  whale.  To  his  astonishment  it  was  not  to  bo 
seen.  In  some  alarm  he  looked  a-stern,  a-head,  on  the  oth- 
er side,  but  his  search  was  useless;  the  ship  drifting  fast,  had 
pressed  forcibly  upon  the  whale,  the  rope  broke,  the  fish 
sunk  and  was  lost.  The  mortification  of  this  event  may  be 
conceived,  but  the  termination  of  their  vexation  will  not  easi- 
ly be  imagined,  when  it  is  known,  that  no  other  opportunity 
of  procuring  a  whale  occured  during  the  voyage.  The  ship 
returned  home  clean. 

.Flensing  in  a  swell  is  a  most  difficult  and  dangerous  under- 
taking; and  when  the  swell  is  at  all  considerable,  it  is  com- 
monly impracticable.  No  ropes  or  blocks  are  capable  of 
bearing  the  jirk  of  the  sea.  The  harpooners  are  annoyed  by 
the  surge,  and  repeatedly  drenched  in  water;  and  are  likewise 
subject  to  be  wounded  by  the  breaking  of  ropes  or  hooks  of 
tackles,  und  even  by  strokes  from  each  other's  knives.  Hence 
accidents  in  this  kind  of  flensing  are  not  uncommon.  The 
harpooners  not  uifrequently  fall  into  the  whale's  mouth,  when 
it  is  exposed  by  the  removal  of  a  surface  of  blubber;  where 
they  might  easily  be  drowned,  but  for  the  prompt  assistance 
which  is  always  at  hand. 

One  of  the  laws  of  the  fishery  universally  adhered  to,  is, 
that  wheviever  a  whale  is  loose,  whatever  may  be  the  case  or 
circumstances,  it  becomes  a  free  prize  to  the  first  peison  who 
gets  hold  of  it.  Thus,  when  a  whale  is  killed,  and  the  flens- 
ing is  prevented  by  a  storm,  it  is  usually  taken  in  tow;  if  the 
rope  by  which  it  is  connected  with  trie  ship  should  happen  tc 


88  AN   ACCOUNT   OF   THE    WHALE    FISHERY 

Drcak,  and  the  people  of  another  ship  should  seize  upon  h 
whiie  disengaged,  it  becomes  their  prize.  The  following  cir- 
cumstance, which  occured  a  good  many  years  ago,  has  a  ten- 
dency to  illustrate  the  existing  Greenland  laws. 

During  a  storm  of  wind  and  snow  several  ships  were  beat- 
inn;  to  windward,  under  easy  sail,  along  the  edge  of  a  pack. 
When  the  storm  abated  and  the  weather  cleared,  the  ships 
steered  towards  the  ice.  Two  of  the  fleet  approached  it, 
about  a  mile  assunder,  abreast  of  each  other,  when  the 
crews  of  each  ship  accidentally  got  sight  of  a  dead  fish  at  a 
little  distance,  within  some  loose  ice.  Each  ship  now  made 
sail,  to  endeavor  to  reach  the  fish  before  the  other;  which  fish 
being  loose,  would  be  a  prize  to  the  first  who  could  get  pos- 
session of  it.  JNeither  ship  could  out  sail  the  other,  but  each 
contrived  to  press  forward  towards  the  prize.  The  little  ad- 
vantage one  of  them  had  in  distance,  the  other  compensated 
with  velocity.  On  each  bow  of  the  two  ships,  was  stationed 
a  principal  officer,  armed  with  a  harpoon  in  readiness  to  dis- 
charge. But  it  so  happened  that  the  ships  came  in  contact 
with  each  other,  when  within  a  few  yards  of  the  fish,  and  in 
consequence  of  the  shock  with  which  their  bows  met,  they  re- 
bounded to  a  considerable  distance.  The  officers  at  the  same 
moment  discharged  their  harpoons,  but  all  of  them  feil  short 
of  the  fish.  A  hardy  fellow  who  was  second  mate  of  the  lee- 
ward ship  immediately  leaped  overboard  and  with  great  dex 
terity  swam  to  the  whale,  seized  it  by  the  fin,  and  proclaimed 
it  his  prize.  It  was,  however,  so  swollen,  that  he  was  unable 
to  climb  upon  it,  but  was  obliged  to  remain  shivering  in  the  wa- 
ter until  assistance  should  be  sent.  His  captain  cluted  with 
his  good  luck,  forgot,  or  at  least  neglected  his  brave  second 
mate;  and  before  he  thought  of  sending  a  boat  to  release  him 
from  his  disagreeable  situation,  prepared  to  moor  his  ship  to 
an  adjoining  piece  of  ice.  Meanwhile  the  other  ship  tacked, 
and  the  master  himself  stepped  into  a  boat,  pushed  off  and 
rowed  deliberately  towards  the  dead  fish.  Observing  the 
trembling  seaman  still  in  the  water  holding  by  the  fin,  he  ad- 
dressed him  with,  "  Well  my  lad,  you  have  got  a  fine  fish 
here," — to  which  after  a  natural  reply  in  the  affirmative,  he 
added,  "  b»  t  don't  you  find  it  very  cold?" — "  Yes,"  replied 
the  shivering  sailor,  "  I'm  almost  starved.  I  wish  you  would 
allow  me  to  come  into  your  boat  until  our's  arrives."  This  fa- 
vor needed  no  second  solicitation;  the  boat  approached  the 
man  and  he  was  assisted  into  it.  The  fish  being  again  loose 
>n*l  out  of  oossession,  the  captain  instantly  struck  his  harpoon 


AX    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    WHALE    FISHERT.  39 

into  it,  hoisted  his  flag,  and  claimed  his  prizo!  Mortified  and 
displeased  as  the  other  master  felt  at  this  trick,  for  so  it  certainly 
was,  he  had  nevertheless  no  redress,  but  was  obliged  to  permit 
the  fish  to  be  taken  on  board  of  his  competitor's  ship,  and  to 
content  himself  with  abusing  the  second  mate  for  want  of  dis- 
cretion, and  condemning  himself  for  not  having  more  com- 
passion on  the  poor  fellow's  feeling,  which  would  have  pre- 
vented the  disagreeable  misadventure. 

Those  employed  in  the  occupation  of  killing  whales,  arc, 
when  actually  engaged,  exposed  to  danger  from  three  sources, 
viz.  from  the  ice,  from  the  climate,  and  from  the  whales  them- 
selves. The  ice  is  a  source  of  danger  to  the  fishers,  from 
overhanging  masses  failing  upon  them, — from  the  approxima- 
tion of  large  sheets  of  ice  to  each  other,  which  are  apt  to 
crush  or  upset  the  boats, — from  their  boats  being  stove  or 
sunk  by  large  masses  of  ice,  agitated  by  a  swell, — and  from 
the  boats  being  enclosed  and  beset  in  a  pack  of  ice,  and  their 
crews  thus  prevented  from  joining  their  ships. 

On  the  commencement  of  a  heavy  gnle  of  wind,  May  1  Jth, 
1813,  fourteen  men  put  off  in  a  boat  from  the  Volunteer  of 
Whitby,  with  the  view  of  setting  an  anchor  in  a  large  piece 
of  ice,  to  which  it  was  their  intention  of  mooring  tl^e  ship,- — 
The  ship  approached  on  a  signal  being  made,  the  sails  were 
clewed  up,  and  a  rope  fixed  to  the  anchor;  but  the  ice  shiver- 
ing with  the  violence  of  the  strain  when  the  ship  fell  astern, 
the  anchor  flew  out  and  the  ship  went  adrift.  The  sails  being 
again  set,  the  ship  was  reached  to  the  eastvyard  (wind  at 
north,)  the  distance  of  about  two  miles;  but  in  attempting  to 
wear  and  return,  the  ship,  instead  of  performing  the  evolution, 
scudded  a  considerable  distance  to  the  leeward,  and  was  then 
reaching  out  to  sea;  thus  leaving  fourteen  of  her  crew  to  a 
fate  most  dreadful,  the  fulfilment  of  which  seemed  almost  in- 
evitable. The  temperature  of  the  air  was  15  or  16  of  Fahr. 
when  these  poor  wretches  wore  left  upon  a  detached  piece  of 
ice,  of  no  considerable  magnitude,  without  food,  without  shel- 
ter from  the  inclement  storm,  deprived  of  every  means  of  re- 
fuge except  in  a  single  boat,  which,  on  account  of  the  num- 
ber of  men,  and  the  violence  of  the  storm,  was  incapable  of 
conveying  them  to  their  ship.  Death  staied  them  in  the  face 
whichever  way  they  turned,  and  a  division  in  opinion  endued 
Some  were  wishful  to  remain  on  the  ice,  but  the  ice  could  af- 
ford them  no  shelter  to  the  piercing  wind,  and  would  probably 
be  broken  to  pieces  by  the  increasing  swell  :  others  were 
anxious  to  attempt  to  join  their  ship  ^vhile  she  was  vet  in 


40  AW    ACCOUNT   OF   THE    WHALE    FISHERY. 

sight,  but  the  force  of  the  wind,  the  violence  of  the  sea,  tht 
tmallness  of  the  boat  in  comparison  to  the  number  of  men  to 
o?  conveyed,  were  objections  which  would  have  appeared  in- 
surmountable to  any  person  but  men  in  a  state  of  despair. — 
Judging,  that  by  remaining  on  the  ice,  death  was  but  retard- 
ed for  a  few  hours,  as  the  extreme  cold  must  eventually  be- 
numb their  faculties,  and  invite  a  sleep  which  would  overcome 
the  remains  of  animation, — they  determined  on  making  the 
attempt  of  rowing  to  their  ship.  Poor  souls,  what  must  have 
been  their  sensations  at  that  moment, — when  the  spark  of 
hope  yet  remaining  was  so  feeble,  that  a  premature  death  even 
to  themselves  seemed  inevitable.  They  made  the  daring  ex- 
periment, when  a  few  minutes'  trial  convinced  them,  that  the 
attempt  was  utterly  impracticable.  They  then  with  longing 
eyes,  turned  their  efforts  towards  recovering  the' ice  they  had 
left,  but  their  utmost  exertions  were  unavailing.  Every  one 
now  viewed  his  situation  as  desperate;  and  anticipated,  as  cer-, 
tain,  the  fatal  event  which  was  to  put  a  period  to  his  life. 
How  great  must  have  been  their  delight,  and  how  overpow- 
ering their  sensations,  when  at  this  most  critical  juncture  a 
ship  appeared  in  sight!  She  was  advancing  directly  towards 
them;  their  voices  were  extended  and  their  Hag  displayed. — 
But  although  it  was  impossible  they  should  be  heard,  it  was 
not  impossible  they  should  be  seen.  Their  flag  was  descried 
by  the  people  on  board  the  ship,  their  mutual  courses  were  so 
directed  as  to  form  the  speediest  union,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
they  (bund  themselves  on  the  deck  of  the  Lively  of  \Vhitby, 
under  circumstances  of  safety!  They  received  from  their 
townsmen  the  warmest  congratulations;  and  while  each  indi- 
vidual was  forward  in  contributing  his  assitance  towards  the 
restoration  of  their  benumbed  bodies,  each  appeared  sensible 
that  their  narrow  escape  from  death  was  highly  providential 
The  forbearance  of  God  is  wonderful.  Perhaps  these  very 
men  a  few  hours  before,  were  impiously  invoking  their  own 
destruction,  or  venting  imprecations  upon  their  fellow  beings! 
True  it  is  that  the  goodness  of  the  Almighty  extendeth  over 
all  his  works,  and  that  while  '  Mercy  is  his  darling  attribute,' — 
'Judgment  is  his  strange  work.' 

The  most  extensrve  source  of  danger  to  the  whale-fisher, 
when  actively  engaged  in  his  occupation,  arises  from  the  ob- 
.ect  of  his  pursuit.  Excepting  when  it  has  young  under  ita 
protection,  the  whale  generally  exhibits  remarkable  timidity 
of  character.  A  bird  perching  on  its  back  alarms  it;  hence. 
the»greater  part  of  the  accidents  which  happen  in  the  course 


AN   ACCOUNT   OF    THE    WHALE    FISHERY  4j 

of  its  capture,  must  be  attributed  to  adventitious  circumstan- 
ces on  the  part  of  the  whale,  or  to  mismanagement  or  fool- 
hardiness  on  the  part  of  the  fishers. 


A  harpooner  belonging  to  the  Henrietta  of  Whitby,  when 
engaged  in  lancing  a  whale,  into  which  he  had  previously 
struck  a  harpoon,  incautiously  cast  a  little  line  under  his  feet 
thut  lie  had  just  hauled  into  the  boat,  after  it  had  been  drawn 
out  by  the  fish.  A  painful  stroke  of  his  lance  induced  the 
whale  to  dart  suddenly  downward;  his  line  began  to  run  out 
from  beneath  his  feet,  and  in  an  instant  caught  him  by  a  turn 
round  his  body.  He  had  but  just  time  to  cry  out,  "  clear 
away  the  line," — "O  dear!"  when  he  was  almost  cut  assun- 
der,  dragged  overboard  and  never  seen  afterwards.  The  line 
was  cut  at  the  moment,  but  without  avail.  The  fish  descend- 
ed a  considerable  depth,  and  died;  from  whence  it  was  drawn 
to  the  surface  by  the  lines  connected  with  it,  and  secured. 

While  the  ship  Resolution  navigated  an  open  lake  of  water, 
in  the  8'st  degree  of  north  latitude,  during  a  keen  frost  and 
strong  nirth  wind,  on  the  2d  of  June  1806,  a  whale  appear- 
ed, and  a  boat  put  off  in  pursuit.  On  its  second  visit  to  the 
sur'nce  of  the  sea,  it  was  harpooned.  A  convulsive  heave 
of  the  tail,  which  succeeded  the  wound,  struck  :he  boat  at 
the  stern;  and  by  its  reaction,  projected  the  boat-steerer 
overboard.  As  the  line  in  a  moment  dragged  the  boat  be- 
yond his  teach,  the  crew  threw  some  of  their  oars  towards  him 
for  I  is  support,  one  of  which  he  fortunately  seized.  The  ship 
and  boats  being  at  a  considerable  distance,  and  the  fast-boat 
being  rapidly  drawn  away  from  him,  the  harpooner  cut  the  line 
with  the  view  of  rescuing  him  from  his  dangerous  situation 


42  AH    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    WHAI.K    FISHERT. 

But  no  sooner  was  this  act  performed,  than  to  their  extrtme 
mortification  they  discovered,  that  in  consequence  of  some 
oars  being  thrown  towards  their  floating  comrade,  and  others 
being  broken  or  unshipped  by  the  blow  from  the  fish,  one  oar 
only  remained;  with  which,  owing  to  the  force  of  the  wind, 
they  tried  in  vain  to  approach  him.  A  considerable  period 
elapsed,  before  any  boat  from  the  ship  could  afford  him  assist- 
ance, though  the  men  strained  every  nerve  for  the  purpose. 
At  lengtk,  when  they  reached  him,  he  was  found  with  his 
arms  stretched  over  an  car,  almost  deprived  of  sensation.— 
On  his  arrival  at  the  ship,  he  was  in  a  deplorable  condition. 
His  clothes  were  frozen  like  mail,  and  his  hair  constituted  a 
helmet  of  ice.  He  was  immediately  conveyed  into  the  cabin, 
his  clothes  taken  off,  his  limbs  and  body  dried  and  well  rub- 
bed, and  a  cordial  administered  which  he  drank.  A  dry  shirt 
and  stockings  were  then  put  upon  him,  and  he  was  laid  in  the 
captain's  bed.  After  a  few  hours  sleep  he  awoke,  and  ap- 
peared considerably  restored,  but  complained  of  a  painful 
sensation  of  cold.  He  was,  therefore,  removed  to  his  o\vn 
birth,  and  one  of  his  messmates  ordered  to  lie  on  each  side 
of  him,  whereby  the  diminished  circulation  of  the  blood  was 
accelerated,  and  the  animal  heat  restored.  The  shock  on  his 
constitution,  however,  was  greater  than  was  anticipated. — 
He  recovered  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
engage  in  his  ordinary  pursuits;  but  many  months  elapsed 
belt-re  his  countenance  exhibited  its  usual  appearance  of 
health 

The  Aimwell  of  Whi'by,  while  cruising  the  Greenland  seas, 
in  the  year  1810,  had  boats  in  chase  of  whales  on  the  26th  of 
]\lay.  One  of  them  was  harpooned.  But  instead  of  sinking 
immediately  on  receiving  the  wo.und,  as  is  the  most  usual 
manner  of  the  whale,  this  individual  only  dived  for  a  moment, 
and  rose  again  beneath  the  boat,  struck  it  in  the  most  vicious 
manner  with  its  (ins  and  tail,  stove  it,  upset  it,  and  then  disap- 
peared. The  crew,  seven  in  number,  got  on  the  bottom  of 
the  boat;  but  the  unequal  action  of  the  lines,  which  for  some- 
time remained  entangled  with  the  boat,  rolled  it  occasionally 
over,  and  thus  plunged  the  crew  Repeatedly  into  the  water. — 
Four  of  them,  after  each  immersion,  recovered  themselves 
and  clui  g  to  the  boat;  but  the  other  three,  one  of  whom  was 
the  only  person  acquainted  with  the  art  of  swimming,  were 
drowned  before  assistance  could  arrive.  The  four  men  on 
the  boat  being  rescued  and  conveyed  to  the  ship,  the  attack 
an  the  \\hale  was  continued  and  two  more  harpoons  struck.— 


AN    ACCOUNT   OF    THE    WHALE    FISHERY.  43 

But  the  whale  irritated,  instead  of  being  enervated  by  its 
wounds,  recommenced 'its  furious  conduct.  The  sea  was  in  a 
foam.  Its  tail  and  fins  were  in  awful  play;  and  in  a  short 
time,  harpoon  after  harpoon  drew  out,  the  fish  was  loosened 
from  its  entanglements  and  escaped. 

In  the  fishery  or  1812,  the  Henrietta  of  Whitby  suffered  a 
similar  loss.  A  fi.$h  which  was  struck  very  near  the  ship,  by 
a  blow  of  its  tail,  stove  a  small  hole  in  the  boat's  bow.  Ev- 
er1" individual  shrinking  from  the  side  on  which  the  blow  was 
impressed,  aided  the  influence  of  the  stroke,  and  upset  the 
boat.  They  all  clung  to  it  while  it  was  bottom  up;  but  the 
line  having  got  entangled  among  the  thwarts,  suddenly  drew 
the  boat  under  water,  and  with  it  part  of  the  crew  Exces- 
sive anxiety  among  the  people  in  the  ship,  occasioned  delay 
in  sending  assistance,  so  that  when  the  first  boat  arrived  at 
the  spot,  two  survivors  only  out  of  six  men  were  found. 

During  a  fresh  gale  of  wind  in  the  season  of  1809,  one  of  the 
Resolution's  harpooners  struck  a  sucking  whale.  Its  mother 
being  near,  all  the  other  boats  were  disposed  around,  with  the 
hope  of  entangling  it.  The  old  whale  pursued  a  circular 
route  round  its  cub,  and  was  followed  by  the  boats;  but  its 
velocity  was  so  considerable,  that  they  were  unable  to  keep 
pace  with  it.  Being  in  the  capacity  of  harpponer  on  this  oc- 
casion myself,  I  proceeded  to  the  chase,  after  having  careful- 
ly marked  the  proceedings  of  the  fish.  I  selected  a  situation, 
in  which  I  conceived  the  whale  would  make  its  appearance, 
and  was  in  the  act  of  directing  my  crew  to  cease  rowing, 
when  a  terrible  blow  was  struck  on  the  boat.  The  whale  I 
never  saw,  but  the  effect  of  the  blow  was  too  important  to  be 
overlooked.  About  fifteen  square  feet  of  the  bottom  of  the 
boat  were  driven  in;  it  filled,  sunk,  and  upset  in  a  moment. 
Assistance  was  providentially  at  hand,  so  that  we  were  all  ta- 
ken up  without  injury,  after  being  but  a  few  minutes  in  the 
water.  The  whale  escaped;  the  boat's  lines  fell  out  and  were 
J.ost,  but  the  boat  was  recovered. 

A  remarkable  instance  of  the  power  which  the  whale  pos- 
sesses in  its  tail,  was  exhibited  within  my  own  observation,  in 
the  year  1807.  On  the  29th  of  May,  a  whale  was  harpoon- 
ed by  an  officer  belonging  to  the  Resolution.  It  descended  a 
considerable  depth;  and,  on  its  re-appearance,  evinced  an  un- 
common degree  of  irritation.  It  made  such  a  display  of  its 
fins  and  tail,  that  few  of  the  crew  were  hardy  enough  to  ap- 
proach it  The  captain,  (Captain  Scoresby's  father,)  observ- 
ing their  timidity,  called  a  boat,  and  himself  struck  a  second 


44  AN    ACCOUNT   OP    THE    WHALE   FISHERT. 

harpoon.  Another  boat  immediately  followed,  and  unfortu 
nately  advanced  too  far.  The  tail  was  again  reared  into  the 
air,  in  a  terrific  attitude, — the  impending  blow  was  evident, — 
the  harpooner,  who  was  directly  underneath,  leaped  over- 
board,— and  the  next  moment  the  threatened  stroke  was  im- 
pressed on  the  centre  of  the  boat,  which  it  buried  in  the  wa- 
ter. Happily  no  one  was  injured.  The  harpooner  who  leap- 
ed overboard,  escaped  certain  death  by  the  act, — the  tail  hav- 
ing struck  the  very  spot  on  which  he  stood.  The  effects  of 
the  blow  were  astonishing.  The  keel  was  broken, — the  gun- 
wales, and  every  plank,  excepting  two,  were  cut  through, — 
and  it  was  evident  that  the  boat  would  have  been  completely 
divided,  had  not  the  tail  struck  directly  upon  a  coil  of  lines. 
The  boat  was  rendered  useless. 

Instances  of  disasters  of  this  kind,  occasioned  by  blows 
from  the  whale,  could  be  adduced  in  great  numbers, — cases 
of  boats  being  destroyed  by  a  single  stroke  of  the  tail,  are 
not  unknown, — instances  of  boats  having  been  stove  or  upset, 
and  their  crews  wholly  or  in  part  drowned,  are  not  unfre- 
quent, — and  several  cases  of  whales  having  made  a  regular 
attack  upon  every  boat  which  came  near  them,  dashed  some 
in  pieces,  and  killed  or  drowned  some  of  the  people  in  them, 
have  occurred  within  a  few  years  even  under  my  own  obser- 
vation. 

The  Dutch  ship  Gort-Moolen,  commanded  by  Cornelius 
Gerard  Ouwekaas,  with  a  cargo  of  seven  fish,  was  anchored 
in  Greenland  in  the  year  1660.  The  captain,  perceiving  a 
whale  a-head  of  his  ship,  beckoned  his  attendants,  and  threw 
himself  into  a  boat.  He  was  the  first  to  approach  the 
whale;  and  was  fortunate  enough  to  harpoon  it  before  the  ar- 
rival of  the  second  boat,  which  was  on  the  advance.  Jacques 
Vienkes,  who  had  the  direction  of  it,  joined  his  captain  im- 
mediately afterwards,  and  prepared  to  make  a  second  attack 
on  the  fish,  when  it  should  remount  again  to  the  surface.  At 
the  moment  of  its  ascension,  the  boat  of  Vienkes  happening 
unfortunately  to  be  perpendicularly  above  it,  was  so  suddenly 
and  forcibly  lifted  up  by  a  stroke  of  the  head  of  the  whale, 
thai  it  was  dashed  to  pieces  before  the  harpooner  could  dis- 
charge his  weapon. 

Vienkes  flew  along  with  the  pieces  of  the  boat,  and  fell  up- 
on the  back  of  the  animal.  This  intrepid  seaman,  who  still 
retained  his  weapon  in  his  grasp,  harpooned  the  whale  on 
which  he  stood;  and  by  means  of  the  harpoon  and  the  line, 
which  he  never  abandoined,  he  steadied  himself  firmly  upon 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE  -WHALE    FISHERY  45 

the  rish,  notwithstanding  his  hazardous  situation,  and  rccard- 
less  of  a  considerable  wound  that  he  received  in  Ins  ley  i*> 
his  fall  along  with  the  fragments  of  the  boat.  All  the  etiorts 
of  the  other  boats  to  approach  the  whale,  and  deliver  the  har- 
pooner,  were  futile.  The  captain,  not  seeing  any  other  meth- 
od of  saving  his  unfortunate  companion,  who  was  in  some 
way  entangled  with  the  line,  called  to  him  to  cut  it  with  his 
knife,  and  betake  himself  to  swimming.  YienK.es,  embarras- 
sed and  disconcerted  as  he  was,  tried  in  vain  to  follow  this 
counsel.  His  knife  was  in  the  pocket  of  his  drawers;  and, 
being  unable  to  support  himself  with  one  hand,  he  c«uld  not 
get  it  out.  The  whale,  meanwhile,  continued  advancing  along 
the  surface  of  the  water  with  great  rapidity,  but  fortunately 
never  attempted  to  dive.  While  his  comrades  despaired  of  his 
life,  the  harpoon  by  which  he  held,  at  length  disengaged  itself 
from  the  body  of  the  whale.  Vienkes  being  thus  liberated, 
did  not  fail  to  take  advantage  of  this  circumstance;  he  cast 
himself  into  the  sea,  and  by  swimming,  endeavored  to  regain 
the  boats  which  continued  the  pursuit  of  the  whale.  When 
his  shipmates  perceived  him  struggling  with  the  waves,  they 
redoubled  their  exertions.  They  reached  him  just  as  his 
strength  was  exhausted,  and  had  the  happiness  of  rescuing 
this  adventurous  harpooner  from  his  perilous  situation. 

Captain  Lyons  of  the  Kaith  of  Leith,  while  prosecuting 
the  whale-fishery  on  the  Labrador  coast,  in  the  season  of 
1802,  discovered  a  large  whale  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
ship.  Four  boats  were  dispatched  in  pursuit,  and  two  of  them 
succeeded  in  approaching  it  so  closely  together,  that  two  har- 
poons were  struck  at  the  same  moment.  The  fish  descended 
a  few  fathoms  in  the  direction  of  another  of  the  boats,  which 
was  on  the  advance,  rose  accidentally  beneath  it,  struck  it  with 
its  head,  and  threw  the  boat,  men,  and  apparatus  about  fifteen 
feet  into  the  air.  It  was  inverted  by  the  stroke,  and  fell  into 
the  water  with  its  keel  upwaras.  Ail  the  people  were  picked 
up  alive  by  the  fourth  boat,  which  was  just  at  hand,  excepting 
one  man,  who  having  got  entangled  in  the  boat,  fell  beneath 
it,  and  was  unfortunately  drowned.  The  fish  was  soon  after- 
wards killed.  The  engraving  on  page  30,  is  illustrative  of 
this  remarkable  accident. 

In  1822,  two  boats  belonging  to  the  ship  Baffin  went  in  pur- 
suit of  a  whale.  John  Carr  was  harpooner  and  commander  ol 
one  of  them.  The  whale  they  pursued  led  them  into  a  vast 
shoal  of  his  own  species;  they  were  so  numerous  that  their 
blowing  war  incessant,  and  they  believed  that  they  did  not  se« 


46 


A!»  ACCOUNT  OF  -THE  WHALE  FISHERT. 


fewer  than  an  hundred.  Fearful  of  alarming  them  without 
striking  any,  they  remained  for  a  while  motionless  At  last 
one  rose  near  Carr's  boat,  and  he  approached,  and  fatally  for 
himself,  harpooned  it.  When  he  struck,  the  fish  was  ap- 
proaching t'ue  boat;  and,  passing  very  rapidly,  jerked  the  line 
out  of  its  place  over  the  stern,  and  threw  it  upon  the  gun- 
wale. Its  pressure  in  this  unfavorable  position  so  careened 
the  boat,  that  the  side  was  pulled  under  water,  and  it  began  to 
fill.  In  this  emergency,  Carr,  who  wns  a  brave,  active  man, 
seized  the  line,  and  endeavored  to  relieve  the  boat  by  restor- 
ing it  to  its  place;  but,  by  some  circumstance  which  was  nev- 
er accounted  for,  a  turn  of  the  line  flew  over  his  arm,  drag- 
ged him  overboard  in  an-instant,  and  drew  him  under  the 
water,  never  more  to  rise.  So  sudden  was  the  accident,  that 
only  one  man,  who  was  watching  him,  saw  what  had  happen- 
ed; so  that  when  the  boat  righted,  which  it  immediately  did, 
though  half  full  of  water,  the  whole  crew  on  looking  round 
inquired  what  had  become  of  Carr.  It  is  impossible  to  im- 
tgine  a  death  more  awfully  sudden  and  unexpected.  The  in- 


IKSTRCMENTS   USED    IN   THE   WHALE    FISHERY. 

1  A  common  Harpoon 

2  A  Pricker. 

3.  A  sharp  Spade,  used  in  cutting  up  a  Whale. 

4.  A  Harpoon  which  is  fired  from  a  gun. 

6.   A  Lance,  to  kill  the  Whale  after  he  has  been  har 
pooned. 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    WHILE    FISHERY.  47 

visible  bullet  could  not  have  effected  more  instantaneous  de- 
struction. The  velocity  of  the  whale  at  its  first  df-f«err*  •« 
fr.om  thirteen  to  fifteen  feet  per  second.  Now  as  this  uulotiu- 
nate  man  was  adjusting  the  line  at  the  water's  very  edge, 
where  it  must  have  been  perfectly  tight,  owing  to  its  obstruc- 
tion in  running  out  of  the  boat,  the  interval  between  the  fast- 
ening the  line  about  him  and  his  disappearance  could  not  have 
exceeded  the  third  part  of  a  second  of  time,  for  in  one  seconj 
only  he  must  have  been  dragged  ten  or  twelve  feet  deep.  In- 
deed he  had  not  time  for  the  least  exclamation;  and  the  person 
who  saw  his  removal,  observed  that  it  was  so  exceeding  quick 
that  though  his  eye  was  upon  him  at  the  moment,  he  could 
scarcely  distinguish  his  figure  as  he  disappeared. 

As  soon  as  the  crew  recovered  from  their  consternation, 
they  applied  themselves  to  the  needful  attention  which  the 
lines  required.  A  second  harpoon  was  struck  from  the  accom- 
panying boat  on  the  raising  of  the  whale  to  the  surface,  and 
some  lances  were  applied,  but  this  melancholy  occurrence  had 
cast  such  a  damp  on  all  present,  that  they  became  timid  and 
inactive  in  their  subsequent  duties.  The  whale  when  nearly 
exhausted  was  allowed  to  remain  some  minutes  unmolested, 
till  having  recovered  some  degree  of  energy,  it  made  a  vio- 
lent effort  and  tore  itself  away  from  both  harpoons.  The  ex- 
ertions of  the  crews  thus  proved  fruitless,  and  were  attended 
with  serious  loss. 

Innumerable  instances  might  be  adduced  of  the  perils  and 
disasters  to  which  our  whalemen  are  subject;  of  their  never 
tiring  fortitude  and  daring  enterprise;  but  we  believe  the  ex- 
amples we  have  given  alone  will  sufficiently  convey  a  full  and 
correct  idea  of  the  customs  and  dangers  of  the  whale-fishery . 


THE    NAKWAI,,    On    SEA-UMCORN, 

IB  a  species  of  the  Whale,  and  seldom  exceeds  twenty-two 
feet  long.  Its  body  is  slenderer  than  that  of  the  whale,  and 
its  fat  not  in  so  great  i.bundance.  But  this  great  animal  is 
BufTiciently  distinguished  from  all  others  of  the  deep,  by  its 


48  AJf    ACCOUNT    DF   THE    WHALE    FlSUEnt. 

tooth  or  teeth,  which  stand  pointing  directly  forward  from  the 
upper  jaw,  and  are  from  nine  to  ten  feet  long.  In  all  the  va- 
riety of  weapons  with  which  nature  has  anned  her  various 
tribes,  there  is  not  one  so  large  or  so  formidable  as  this. — 
This  terrible  weapon  is  generally  found  single;  and  some  are 
of  opinion  that  the  animal  is  furnished  with  but  one  by  nature; 
but  thore  is  at  present  the  skull  of  a  Narwal  at  the  Stadt- 
house  at  Amsterdam,  with  two  teeth.  The  tooth,  or,  as  some 
are  pleased  to  call  it,  the  horn  of  the  Narwal,  is  as  straight 
as  an  arrow,  about  the  thickness  of  the  small  of  a  man's  leg, 
wreathed  as  we  sometimes  see  twisted  bars  of  iron;  it  tapers 
to  a  sharp  point;  and  is  whiter,  heavier,  and  harder  than  ivory. 
It  is  generally  seen  to  spring  from  the  left  side  of  the  head 
directly  forward  in  a  straight  line  with  the  body;  and  its  root 
enters  into  the  socket  above  a  foot  and  a  half.  Notwithstand- 
ing its  appointments  for  combat,  this  long  and  pointed  tusk, 
amazing  strength,  and  matchless  celerity,  the  Narwal  is  one 
of  the  most  harmless  and  peaceful  inhabitants  of  the  ocean. 
It  is  seen  constaatly  and  inoffensively  sporting  among  the  oth- 
er great  monsters  of  the  deep,  no  way  attempting  to  injure 
them,  but  pleased  in  their  company.  The  Greenlanders  call 
the  Narwal  the  forerunner  of  the  whale;  for  wherever  if  is 
seen,  the  whale  is  shortly  after  sure  to  follow.  This  may 
arise  as  well  from  the  natural  passion  for  society  in  these  ani- 
mals, as  from  both  living  upon  the  same  food.  These  power- 
ful lishes  make  war  upon  no  other  living  creature:  and,  though 
furnished  with  instruments  to  spread  general  destruction,  are 
as  innocent  and  as  peaceful  as  a  drove  of  oxen.  The  Narwal 
is  much  swifter  than  the  whale,  and  would  never  be  taken  by 
he  fishermen  but  for  those  very  tusks,  which  at  first  appear 
to  be  its  principal  defence.  These  animals  are  always  seen 
in  herds  of  several  at  a  time;  and  whenever  they  are  attacked 
they  crowd  together  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  a  mutually 
Embarrassed  by  their  tusks.  By  these  they  are  often  lockec 
together,  and  are  prevented  from  sinking  to  the  bottom.  It 
seidom  happens,  therefore,  but  the  fishermen  make  sure  of 
one  or  two  of  the  hindmost,  which  very  well  reward  thei' 
trouble. 


LOSS   OF    THE    CRIG   TTRRf L  4S 


LOSS  OF  THE  BRIG  TYRREL. 

In  addition  to  the  many  dreadf  il  shipwrecks  already  narrtt- 
ed,  the  following,  which  is  a  circumstantial  acccuT.t  Rircr.  oj 
T.  Purncll,  chief  mate  of  the  brig  Tyrrel,  Arthur  Cochlan, 
commander,  and  the  only  person  among  the  whole  crew  who 
had  the  good  fortune  to  escape,  claims  our  particu  tr  atten- 
tion. 

On  Saturday,  June  29th,  1759,  they  sailed  from  New  York 
to  Sandy  Hook,  and  there  came  to  an  anchor,  waiting  for  the 
captain's  coming  down  with  a  new  boat,  and  some  other  arti- 
cles. Accordingly  he  came  on  board  early  the  succeeding 
morning,  and  the  boat  cleared,  hoisted  in,  stowed  and  lashed. 
At  eight  o'clock,  A.  M.  they  weighed  anchor,  sailed  out  of 
Sandy  Hook,  and  the  same  day  at  noon,  took  their  departure 
from  the  High  Land  Never  Sunk,  and  proceeded  on  their 
passage  to  Antigua.  As  soon  as  they  made  sail,  the  captain 
ordered  the  boat  to  be  cast  loose,  in  order  that  she  might  be 
painted,  with  the  oars,  rudder  and  tiller,  which  job,  he  (Cap- 
tain Cochlan)  undertook  to  do  himself. 

At  four  P.  M.  they  found  the  vessel  made  a  little  more  wa- 
ter, than  usual;  but  as  it  did  not  cause  much  additional  la- 
bour at  the  pump,  nothing  was  thought  of  it.  At  eight,  the 
leak  did  not  seem  to  increase.  At  twelve  it  began  to  blow 
very  hard  in  squalls,  which  caused  the  vessel  to  lie  down  very 
much,  whereby  it  was  apprehended  she  wanted  more  ballast. 
Thereupon  the  captain  came  on  deck,  being  the  starboard 
watch,  and  close  reefed  both  top-sails. 

At  four  A.  INI.  the  weather  moderated — tet  out  both  reefs: — 
a',  eight  it  became  still  more  moderate,  and  they  made  moro 
sail,  and  set  top-gallant-sails;  the  weather  was  still  thick  and 
ha/y.  There  was  no  further  observation  taken  at  present, 
except  that  the  vessel  made  more  water.  The  captain  waa 
now  chielly  employed  in  painting  the  boat,  oars,  rudder  and 
tiller. 

Oa  Monday,  June  30,  at  four  P.  M.  the  wind  was  at  E.  N. 
E.  freshened  very  much,  and  blew  so  very  hard,  as  occasioned 
the  brig  to  lie  along  in  such  a  manner  as  caused  general 

VOL.    II  3 


60  LOSS  OF  THE  BRIO  TTRRXL 

alarm.  The  captain  was  now  earnestly  intreated  to  put  fot 
New  York,  or  steer  for  the  Capes  of  Virginia.  At  eight, 
took  in  top-gallant-sail,  and  close  reefed  both  top-sails,  still 
making  more  water.  Afterwards  the  weather  oecame  still 
more  moderate  and  fair,  and  they  made  more  sail. 

July  1,  at  four  A.  M.  it  began  to  blow  in  squalls  very  hard, 
took  in  one  reef  in  each  top  sail,  and  continued  so  until  eight 
A.  INI.  the  weather  being  still  thick  and  hazy. — No  ob- 
servation. 

The  next  day  she  made  still  more  water,  but  as  every 
watch  pumped  it  out,  this  was  little  regarded.  At  four  P.  INI 
took  second  reef  in  each  top-sail, — close  reefed  both,  and 
sen-t  down  top-gallant-yard;  the  gale  still  increasing. 

At  four  A.  M.  the  wind  got  round  to  N.  and  there  was  no 
appearance  of  its  abating.  At  eight,  the  captain  well  satisfied 
that  she  was  very  crank  and  ought  to  have  had  more  ballast, 
agreed  to  make  for  Bacon  Island  Road,  in  North  Carolina; 
and  in  the  very  act  of  wearing  her,  a  sudden  gust  of  wind 
laid  her  down  on  her  beam-end,  and  she  never  rose  again! — 
At  this  time  Mr.  Purnell  was  lying  in  the  cabin,  with  his 
clothes  on,  not  having  pulled  them  off  since  they  left  land. — 
Having  been  rolled  out  of  his  bed  (on  his  chest,)  witli  great 
difficulty  he  reached  the  round-house  door;  the  first  saluta- 
tion he  met  with  was  from  the  step-ladder  that  went  from  the 
quarter-deck  to  the  poop,  which  knocked  him  against  the 
companion,  (a  lucky  circumstance  for  those  below,  as,  by  lay- 
ing the  ladder  against  the  companion,  it  served  both  him  and 
the  rest  of  the  people  who  were  in  the  steerage,  as  a  convey- 
ance to  windward);  having  transported  the  two  after  guns 
forward  to  bring  her  more  by  the  head,  in  order  to  make  her 
hold  a  better  wind;  thus  they  got  through  the  aftermost  gun- 
port  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  being  all  on  her  broadside,  ev- 
ery moveable  rolled  to  leeward,  and  as  the  vessel  overset, 
so  did  the  boat,  and  turned  bottom  upwards,  her  lashings  Le- 
ing  cast  loose,  by  order  of  the  captain,  and  having  no  other 
prospect  of  saving  their  lives  but  by  the  boat,  Purnell,  with 
two  others,  and  the  cabin-boy  (who  were  excellent  swimmers) 
Blunged  into  the  water,  and  with  difficulty  righted  her,  when 
she  was  brim  full,  and  washing  with  the  water's  edge.  They 
then  made  fast  the  end  of  the  main-sheet  to  the  ring  in  her 
stern-post,  and  those  who  were  in  the  fore-chains  sent  down 
the  end  of  the  boom-tackle,  to  which  they  made  fast  the  boat's 
painter,  aud  by  which  they  lifted  her  a  little  out  of  the  water, 
00  that  she  swam  about  two  or  three  inches  free,  but  almost 
fall. 


LOSS   OF    THE    BRIO   TTRRBL.  61 

They  then  put  the  cabin-boy  into  her,  and  gave  him  a  bucket 
that  happened  to  float  by,  and  he  bailed  away  as  quick  as  he 
could,  and  soon  after  another  person  got  in  with  anothe' 
bucket,  and  in  a  short  time  got  all  the  water  out  of  her.— 
They  then  put  two  long  oars  that  were  stowed  in  the  larboard- 
quarter  of  the  Tyrell  into  the  boat,  and  pulled  or  rowed  right 
to  windward;  for,  as  the  wreck  drifted,  she  made  a  dreadful 
appearance  in  the  water,  and  Mr.  Purnell  and  two  of  the 
people  put  oft*  from  the  wreck,  in  search  of  the  oars,  rudder 
and  tiller.  After  a  long  while  they  succeeded  in  picking 
them  all  up,  one  after  another.  They  then  returned  to  their 
wretched  companions,  who  were  all  overjoyed  to  see  them, 
having  given  them  up  for  lost.  By  this  time  night  drew  on 
very  fast.  While  they  were  rowing  in  the  boat,  some  small 
quantity  of  white  biscuit  (Mr.  Purnell  supposed  about  halt  a 
peck,)  floated  in  a  small  cask,  out  of  the  round  house;  but 
before  it  came  to  hand,  it  was  so  soaked  with  salt  water,  thai 
it  was  almost  in  a  fluid  state:  and  about  double  the  quantity 
of  common  ship-biscuit  likewise  floated^  which  was  in  like 
manner  soaked.  This  was  all  the  provision  that  they  had;  not 
a  drop  of  fresh  water  could  they  get;  neither  could  the  car- 
penter get  at  any  of  his  tools  to  scuttle  her  sides,  for,  coulii 
this  have  been  accomplished,  they  might  have  saved  plenty  of 
piovisions  and  water. 

By  this  time  it  was  almost  dark;  having  got  one  compass,  it 
was  determined  to  quit  the  wreck,  and  take  their  chance  in 
the  boat,  which  was  nineteen  foot  six  inches  long,  and  six  feet 
four  inches  broad;  Mr.  Purnell  supposes  it  was  now  about 
nine  o'clock;  it  was  very  dark. 

They  had  run  abut  360  miles  by  their  dead  reckoning,  on  a 
S.  E.  by  K.  course.  The  number  in  the  boat  was  17  in  all; 
the  boat  was  very  deep,  and  little  hopes  were  entertained  of 
either  seeing  land  or  surviving  long.  The  wind  got  round  to 
westward,  which  was  the  course  they  wanted  to  steer;  but  it 
began  to  blow  and  rain  so  very  hard,  thnt  they  were  obliged 
to  keep  before  the  wind  and  sea,  in  order  to  preserve  her 
above  water.  Soon  after  they  had  put  off  from  the  wreck  the 
boat  shipped  two  heavy  seas,  one  after  another,  so  that  they 
were  obliged  to  keep  her  before  the  wind  and  sea;  for  had  she 
shipped  another  sea,  she  certainly  would  have  swamped  with 
them. 

By  sunrise  the  next  morning,  July  3,  they  judged  that  the^ 
had  been  running  E.  S.  E.  which  was  contrary  to  their  wishea 
The  wind  dying  away,  the  weather  became  very  inoder- 


65  LOSS   OF   THE   BRIO   TYRREL. 

ate.  The  compass  which  they  had  saved  proved  of  no  utili 
ty,  one  of  the  people  having  trod  upon,  and  broken  it;  it  was 
accordingly  thrown  overboard.  They  now  proposed  to  make 
a  sail  of  some  frocks  and  trowsers,  but  they  had  got  neither 
needles  nor  sewing  twine,  one  of  the  people  however,  had  a 
needle  in  his  knife,  and  another  several  fishing  lines  in  his 
pockets,  which  were  unlaid  by  some,  and  others  were  employ- 
ed in  ripping  the  frocks  and  trowsers.  By  sunset  they  had 
provided  a  tolerable  lug-sail;  having  split  one  of  the  boat's 
thwarts,  (which  was  of  yellow  deal,)  with  a  very  large  knife, 
which  one  of  the  crew  had  in  his  pocket,  they  made  a  yard 
and  lashed  it  together  by  the  strands  of  the  fore-top-gallant- 
halyards,  that  were  thrown  into  the  boat  promiscuously. 

They  also  made  a  mast  of  one  of  the  long  oars,  and  set  their 
sails,  with  sheets  and  tacks  made  out  of  the  top-gallant-hal- 
yards.  Their  only  guide  was  the  North  Star.  They  had  a 
tolerable  good  breeze  all  night;  and  the  whole  of  the  next 
day,  July  4,  the  weather  continued  very  moderate,  and  the 
people  were  in  as  good  spirits  as  their  dreadful  situation  would 
admit. 

July  5,  the  wind  and  weather  continued  much  the  same, 
and  they  knew  by  the  North  star  that  they  were  standing  in 
for  the  land.  The  next  day  Mr.  Purncll  observed  some  of 
the  men  drinking  salt  water,  and  seeming  rather  fatigued. — • 
At  this  time  they  imagined  the  wind  was  got  round  to  the 
southward,  and  they  steered,  as  they  thought  by  the  North 
star,  to  the  northwest  quarter;  but  on  the  7th,  they  found 
the  wind  had  got  back  to  the  northward,  and  blew  very  fresh. 
They  got  their  oars  out  the  greatest  part  of  the  ni«j!it,  and 
the  next  day  the  wind  still  dying  a\vay,  the  people  laboured 
alternately  at  the  oars,  without  distinction.  About  noon  the 
wind  sprung  up  so  that  they  laid  in  their  oars,  and,  as  they 
thought,  steered  about  N.  N.  W.  and  continued  so  until  about 
eight  or  nine  in  the  morning  of  July  9,  when  they  all  thought 
they  were  upon  soundings,  by  the  coldness  of  the  water. — 
They  were,  in  general,  in  very  good  spirits.  The  weather 
continued  still  thick  and  hazy,  and.  by  the  North  star,  they 
found  that  they  had  been  steering  ab..ut  N.  by  W. 

July  10. — The  people  had  drank  so  much  salt  water,  that  it 
came  from  them  as  clear  ;is  it  was  before  they  drank  it;  and 
Mr.  Purnell  psrceived  that  the  second  mate  had  lost  a  consid- 
erable share  of  his  strength  and  spirits;  and  also,  at  noon, 
that  the  carpenter  was  delirious,  his  malady  increasing  every 
hour;  about  dusk  he  had  almost  overset  the  boat,  by  attempt- 


tOSS   OF    THE    D/lIO   TTRREL  63 

ing  to  throw  himself  overboard,  and  otherwise  behaving  quite 
violent. 

As  his  strength,  however,  failed  him,  he  became  more  man 
ageable,  and  they  got  him  to  lie  down  in  the  middle  of  the 
boat,  among  some  of  the  people.  Mr.  Purnell  drank  once  a 
little  salt  water,  but  could  not  relish  it;  he  prefered  his  own 
urine,  which  he  drank  occasionally  as  he  made  it.  Soon  after 
sunset  the  second  mate  lost  his  speech.  Mr.  Purnell  desired 
him  to  lean  his  head  on  him;  he  died,  without  a  groan  or 
struggle,  on  the  llth  of  July,  being  the  9th  day  they  were  in 
the  boat.  In  a  few  minutes  after,  the  carpenter  expired  al- 
most in  a  similar  manner.  These  melancholy  scenes  render- 
ed the  situation  of  the  survivors  more  dreadful;  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  describe  their  feelings.  Despair  became  general;  ev- 
ery man  imagined  his  own  dissolution  was  near.  They  all  now 
went  to  prayers;  some  prayed  in  the  Welch  language,  some 
in  Irish,  and  others  in  English;  then,  after  a  little  delibera- 
tion, they  stripped  the  two  dead  men,  and  hove  them  over- 
board. 

The  weather  being  now  very  mild,  and  almost  calm,  they 
turned  to,  cleaned  the  boat,  and  resolved  to  make  their  sail 
larger  out  of  the  frocks  and  trowsers  of  the  two  deceased 
men.  Purnell  got  the  captain  to  lie  down  with  the  rest  of  the 
people,  the  boatswain  and  one  man  excepted,  who  assisted  him 
in  making  the  sail  larger,  which  they  had  completed  by  six 
or  seven  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  having  made  a  shroud  out  of 

the  boat's  painter,  which  served  as  a  shifting  back-stay. 

Purnell  also  fixed  his  red  flannel  waistcoat  at  the  mast-head, 
as  a  signal  the' most  likely  to  be  seen. 

Soon  after  this  some  of  them  observed  a  sloop  at  a  great 
distance,  coming,  as  they  thought,  from  the  land.  This  rous- 
ed every  man's  spirits;  they  got  out  their  oars,  at  which  they 
laboured  alternately,  exerting  all  their  remaining  strength  to 
come  up  with  her;  but  night  coming  on,  and  the  sloop  getting 
a  fresh  breeze  of  wind,  they  lost  sight  of  her,  which  occasion- 
ed a  grneral  consternation;  however,  the  appearance  of  the 
North  star,  which  they  kept  on  their  starbo-ard-bow,  gave 
them  hopes  that  they  stood  in  for  land.  This  night  one  Wil- 
liam Wathing  died;  he  was  64  years  of  age,  and  had  been  to 
sea  50  years;  quite  worn  out  with  fatigue  and  hunger,  he 
earnestly  prayed,  to  the  last  moment,  for  a  drop  of  watei 
to  cool  his  tongue.  Karly  the  next  morning  Hugh  Williams 
also  died,  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  another  of  the  crew; 
entireU  exhausted, — they  both  expired  without  a  groan. 


64  LOSS    OF    THE    BRIG    TVRREL 

Early  in  the  morning  of  July  13,  it  began  to  blow  very 
fresh,  and  increased  so  much,  that  they  were  obliged  to  furl 
their  sail,  and  keep  the  boat  before  the  wind  and  sea,  which 
drove  them  off  soundings.  In  the  evening  their  gunner  died. 
The  weather  now  becoming  moderate  and  the  wind  in  the  S 
\V.  quarter,  they  made  sail,  not  one  being  able  to  row  or  pull 
an  oar  at  any  rate;  they  ran  all  this  night  with  a  fine  breeze 

The  next  morning  (July  14)  two  more  of  the  crew  died, 
and  in  the  evening  they  also  lost  the  same  number.  They 
found  they  were  on  soundings  again,  and  concluded  the  wind 
had  »ot  round  to  the  N.  W.  quarter.  They  stood  in  for  the 
land  all  t  us  night,  and  early  on  July  12  two  others  died;  the 
deceased  were  thrown  overboard  as  soon  as  their  breath  had 
departed.  The  weather  was  now  thick  arid  hazy,  and  they 
were  still  certain  that  they  were  on  soundings. 

The  cabin-boy  was  seldom  required  to  do  any  thing,  and  as 
his  intellects,  at  this  time,  were  very  good,  and  his  under- 
standing clear,  it  was  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Purnell  that  he 
would  survive  them  all,  but  he  prudently  kept  his  thoughts  to 
himself.  The  captain  seemed  likewise  tolerably  well,  and  to 
have  kept  up  his  spirits.  On  account  of  the  haziness  of  the 
weather,  they  could  not  so  well  know  how  they  steered  in  the 
day  time  as  at  night;  for,  whenever  the  North  star  appeared, 
they  endeavored  to  keep  it  on  their  starboard  bow,  by  which 
means  they  were  certain  of  milking  the  land  some  time  or 
other.  In  the  evening  t\vo  more  of  the  crew  died,  also,  be- 
fore sunset,  one  Thomas  Philpot,  an  old  experienced  seaman, 
and  very  strong;  he  departed  rather  convulsed;  having  latter- 
ly lost  the  power  of  articulation,  'nis  meaning  could  not  be 
comprehended.  He  was  a  native  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  and  had 
no  family.  The  survivors  found  it  a  difficult  task  to  heave  his 
body  overboard,  as  he  was  a  very  corpulent  man. 

About  six  or  seven  the  next  morning,  July  16,  they  stood 
in  for  the  land,  according  to  the  best  of  their  judgment;  the 
weather  still  thick  and  hazy.  Purncll  now  prevailed  upon 
the  captain  and  boatswain  of  the  boat  to  lie  down  in  the  lore- 
part  of  the  beat,  to  brinff  her  more  by  the  head,  in  order  to 
make  her  hold  a  better  wind.  In  the  evening  the  cabin-boy, 
who  lately  appeared  so  well,  breathed  his  last,  leaving  behind, 
the  captain,  the  boatswain  and  Mr.  Purnell. 

The  next  morning,  July  17,  JMr.  Purnell  asked  his  two 
companions  if  they  thought  they  could  eat  any  of  the  boy's 
flesh;  and  having  expressed  an  inclination  to  try,  and  the 
body  being  quite  cold,  he  cut  the  inside  of  his  thigh,  a  little 


LOSS    OF    THE    BRIO    TYRREL.  55 

above  his  knee,  and  gave  a  piece  to  the  captain  and  boat- 
swain, reserving  a  small  piece  for  himself;  but  so  weak  were 
.heir  stomachs  that  none  of  them  could  swallow  a  morsel  of  it, 
the  body  was  therefore  thrown  overboard. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  18th,  Mr.  Purnoll  found  both 
of  his  companions  dead  and  cold!  Thus  destitute,  he  began 
to  think  of  his  own  dissolution;  though  feeble,  his  understand- 
ing was  st  11  clear,  and  his  spirits  as  good  as  his  forlorn  situa- 
tion 'ould  possibly  admit.  By  the  colour  and  coldness  of 
the  w  r,  he  knew  he  was  not  far  from  land,  and  still  main- 
tained hcnes  of  making  it.  The  weather  continued  very  foggy 
He  lay  to  all  this  night,  which  was  very  dark,  with  the  boat's 
head  to  the  northward. 

In  the  morning  of  the  19th,  it  began  to  rain;  it  cleared  up 
in  the  afternoon,  and  the  wind  died  away;  still  Mr.  Purnell 
was  convinced  he  was  on  soundings. 

On  the  20th,  in  the  afternoon,  he  thought  he  saw  land,  and 
stood  in  for  it;  but  night  coming  on,  and  it  being  now  very 
dark,  he  lay  to,  fearing  he  might  get  on  some  rocks  and 
shoals. 

July  21,  the  weather  was  very  fine  all  the  morning,  but  in 
the  afternoon  it  became  thick  and  hazy.  Mr.  Purnell's 
spirits  still  remained  good,  but  his  strength  was  almost  exhaus- 
ted; he  still  drank  his  own  water  occasionally. 

On  the  22d  he  saw  some  barnacles  on  the  boat's  rudder, 
very  similar  to  the  spawn  of  an  oyster,  which  filled  him  with 
greater  hopes  of  being  near  land.  He  unshipped  the  rudder, 
•and  scraping  them  off  with  his  knife,  found  they  were  of  a 
salt  fishy  substance,  and  eat  them;  he  was  now  so  weak,  the 
boat  having  a  great  motion,  that  he  found  it  a  difficult  task  to 
ship  the  rudder. 

At  sunrise,  July  23,  he  became  so  sure  that  he  saw  land,  that 
bis  spirits  were  considerably  raised.  In  the  middle  of  this 
day  he  got  up,  leaned  his  back  against  (he  mast,  and  received 
succour  from  the  sun,  having  previously  contrived  to  steer  the 
boat  in  this  position.  The  next  day  he  saw,  at  a  very  great 
distance,  some  kind  of  a  sail,  which  he  judged  was  coming 
from  the  land,  which  he  soon  lost  sight  of.  In  the  middle  of 
the  day  he  got  up,  and  recci-ved  warmth  from  the  sun  as  be- 
fore. He  stood  on  all  night  for  the  land. 

Very  early  in  the  morning  of  the  25th,  after  drinking  his 
morning  draught,  to  his  inexpressible  joy  he  saw,  while  the 
Bun  was  rising,  a  sail,  and  when  the  sun  was  up,  found  she 
was  a  two-mast  vessel  He  was,  however,  corsideraoly  per 


56  LOSS   OF    THE    BRIO   TYRREL 

plexed,  not  knowing  what  to  do,  as  she  was  a  great  distance 
astern  &nd  to  the  leeward.  In  order  to  watch  her  motions 
better,  !:e  lacked  about.  Soon  after  this  he  perceived  she 
was  standing  on  her  starboard  tack,  which  had  been  the  same 
he  had  been  standing  on  for  many  hours.  He  saw  she  ap- 
proached him  very  fast,  and  he  lay  to  for  some  time,  till  he 
believed  she  was  within  two  miles  of  the  boat,  but  still  to  lee- 
ward; therefore  he  thought  it  best  to  steer  larger,  when  he 
found  she  was  a  top-sail  schooner,  nearing  him  very  f<~  t. — 
He  continued  to  edge  down  towards  her,  until  he  had  jught 
her  about  two  points  under  his  lee-bow,  having  it  in  h.s  power 
to  spring  his  luff,  or  bear  away.  By  this  time  she  was  within 
half  a  mile,  and  he  saw  some  of  her  people  standing  forwards 
on  her  deck  and  waiving  for  him  to  come  under  their  lee-bow. 

At  the  distance  of  about  200  yards  they  hove  the  schooner 
up  in  the  wind,  and  kept  her  so  until  Purnell  got  alongside, 
when  they  threw  him  a  rope,  still  keeping  the  schooner  in  the 
wind.  They  now  interrogated  him  very  closely;  by  the  man- 
ner the  boat  and  oars  were  painted,  they  imagined  she  belong- 
ed to  a  man  of  war,  and  that  they  had  .run  away  with  her  from 
some  of  his  Majesty's  ships  at  Halifax,  consequently  that  they 
would  be  liable  to  some  punishment  if  they  took  him  up;  they 
also  thought,  as  the  captain  and  boatswain  were  lying  dead 
in  the  boat,  they  might  expose  themselves  to  some  contagious 
disorder.  Thus  they  kept  Purnell  in  suspense  for  some  time. 
They  told  him  they  had  made  the  land  that  morning  from  the 
mast-head,  and  that  they  were  running  along  shore  for  JNIar- 
blehead,  to  which  place  they  belonged,  and  where  they  ex- 
pected to  be  the  next  morning.  At  last  they  told  him  he 
might  come  on  board;  which  as  he  said,  he  could  not  without 
assistance,  the  captain  ordered  two  of  his  men  to  help  him. — 
They  conducted  him  aft  on  the  quarter  deck,  where  they  left 
him  resting  on  the  companion. 

They  were  now  for  casting  the  boat  adrift,  but  Mr.  PurneU 
told  them  she  was  not  above  a  month  old,  built  at  New  York, 
and  if  they  would  hoist  her  in,  it  would  pay  them  well  for 
their  trouble.  To  this  they  agreed,  and  having  thrown  the 
two  corpses  overboard,  and  taken  out  the  clothes  that  were 
left  by  the  deceased,  they  hoisted  her  in  and  made  sail. 

Being  now  on  board,  Purnell  asked  for  a  little  water,  Cap 
tain  Castleman  (for  that  was    his  name)  ordered  one  of  his 
sons,  (having   two    on   board)   to   fetch   him   some;  when    he 
came  with  the  water,  his  father  looked  to  see  how  much  he 
was  bringing  him.  ;md  thinking  it  too  much,  threw  some  o»'  '! 


LOSS  OF  THE  BRIO  TYRREL  61 

away,  nnd  desired  him  to  give  the  remainder,  which  he  drank 
being  the  first  fresh  water  he  had  tasted  foi  23  days.  As  ho 
leaned  all  this  time  against  the  companion,  he  became  very 
cold,  and  hogged  to  go  below;  the  captain  ordered  two  men 
to  help  him  down  to  the  cabin,  where  they  left  him  sitting  on 
the  cabin-deck,  leaning  upon  the  lockers,  all  hands  being  now 
engaged  in  hoisting  in  and  securing  the  boat.  This  done,  all 
hands  went  down  to  the  cabin  to  breakfast,  except  the  man  at 
the  helm.  They  made  some  soup  for  Purnell,  which  he 
thought  verj-  good,  but  at  present  he  could  eat  very  little,  and 
in  consequence  of  his  late  draughts,  he  had  broke  out  in  ma- 
ny parts  of  his  body,  so  that  he  was  in  great  pain  whenever 
he  stirred.  They  made  a  bed  for  him  out  of  an  old  sail,  and 
behaved  very  attentive.  While  they  were  at  breakfast  a 
squall  of  wind  came  on,  which  called  them  all  upon  deck; 
during  their  absence,  Purnell  took  up  a  stone  bottle,  and 
without  smelling  or  tasting  it,  but  thinking  it  was  rum,  took  a 
hearty  draught  of  it,  and  found  it  to  be  sweet  oil;  having 
placed  it  where  he  found  it,  he  lay  down. 

They  still  ran  along  shore  with  the  land  in  sight,  and  were 
in  great  hopes  of  getting  into  port  that  night,  but  the  wind  dy- 
ing away,  they  did  not  get  in  till  nine  o'clock  the  next  night, 
All  this  time  Purnell  remained  like  a  child;  some  one  was  1- 
always  with  him,  to  give  him  whatever  he  wished  to  eat  or  drink 

As  soon  as  they  came  to  anchor,  Captain  Castleman  went 
on  shore,  and  returned  on  board  the  next  morning  with  the 
owner,  John  Picket,  Esq.  Soon  after  they  got  Purnell  into 
a  boat,  and  carried  him  on  shore;  but  he  was  still  so  very  fee- 
ble, that  he  was  obliged  to  be  supported  by  two  men.  Mr 
Picket  took  a  \ery  genteel  lodging  for  him,  and  hired  a  nurse 
to  attend  him;  he  was  immediately  put  to  bed,  and  afterwards 
provided  with  a  change  of  clothes.  In  the  course  of  the  day 
he  was  visited  by  every  doctor  in  the  town,  who  all  gave  him 
hopes  of  recovering,  but  told  him  it  would  be  some  time,  for 
the  stronger  the  constitution,  the  longer  (they  said)  it  took  to 
recover  its  lost  strength.  Though  treated  with  the  utmost 
tenderness  and  humanity,  it  was  three  weeks  before  he  was 
rble  to  come  down  stairs.  He  stayed  in  Marblehead  two 
months,  during  which  he  lived  very  comfortably,  and  gradual- 
ly recovered  his  stiength.  The  brig's  boat  and  oars  were 
sold  for  95  dollars,  which  paid  all  his  e?;penses,  and  procured 
him  a  passage  to  Boston.  The  nails  of  his  lingers  and  toea 
withered  away  almost  to  nothing,  and  did  not  begin  lo  grov 
for  many  months  after 

VOL.  11.  3* 


51  THE    LOSS    OF    THE    MOOT. 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  PEGGY. 

On  the  28th  of  September,  1785,  the  Peggy,  commanded  bj 
Capt.  Knight,  sailed  from  the  harbor  of  Waterford,  Ireland, 
for  the  port  of  .New  York,  in  America. 

Here  it  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  the  Peggy  was  a  large 
unwieldy  Dutch-built  ship,  about  eight  hundred  tons  burden, 
and  had  formerly  been  in  the  Norway,  and  timber  trade,  for 
which,  indeed,  she  seemed,  from  her  immense  bulk,  well  cal- 
culated. There  being  no  freight  in  readiness  for  America, 
we  were  under  the  necessity  of  taking  in  ballast  :  which  con- 
sisted of  coarse  gravel  and  sand,  with  about  fifty  casks  of 
stores,  fresh  stock,  and  vegetables,  sufficient  to  last  during  the 
voyage  ;  having  plenty  of  room,  and  having  been  most  abund- 
antly supplied  by  the  hospitable  neighbourhood,  of  which  we 
were  about  to  take  our  leave. 

We  weighed  anchor,  and  with  the  assistance  of  a  rapid  tide 
and  pleasant  breeze,  soon  gained  a  tolerable  offing  :  we  con- 
tinued tinder  easy  sail  the  remaining  part  of  the  day,  and  to- 
wards sunset  lost  sight  of  land. 

Sept.  i?9th,  made  the  old  head  of  Kingsale  ;  the  weather 
continuing  favorable,  we  shortly  came  within  sight  of  Cape 
rirar,  from  whence  we  took  our  departure  from  the  coast  of 
Ireland. 

Nothing  material  occurred  for  several  days,  during  which 
time  we  traversed  a  vast  space  of  the  Western  Ocean. 

Oct.  1-th,  the  weather  now  Wecame  hazy  and  squally  ; — all 
hands  tinned  up  to  reef  top-sails,  and  strike  top-gallant-yards. 
— Towards  night  the  squalls  were  more  frequent,  indicating 
an  approaching  gale  : — We  accordingly  clued,  reeled  top-sails, 
and  struck  top-gall  ant-mast  8  ;  and  having  made  all  snug  aloft, 
the  ship  weathered  the  night  very  steadily. 

On  the  13th  the  crew  were  employed  in  setting  up  the  rig- 
ging, and  occasionally  pumping,  the  ship  having  made  much 
water  during  the  night.  The  gale  increasing  as  the  day  ad- 
vanced, occasioned  the  vessel  to  make  heavy  rolls,  by  which 
an  accident  happened,  which  was  near  doing  much  injury  io 
the  captain's  cabin.  A  puncheon  of  rum,  which  was  lashed 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PEGGY.  59 

m  the  larboard  side  of  the  cabin,  broke  loose,  a  sudden  jerk 
having  drawn  assunder  the  cleets  to  which  it  was  fastened. 
By  its  velocity  it  stove  in  the  state-rooms,  and  broke  several 
utensils  of  the  cabin  furniture.  The  writer  of  this,  with  much 
difliculty,  escaped  with  whole  limbs  •  but  not  altogether  un- 
hurt, receiving  a  painful  bruise  on  the  right  foot  :  having, 
however,  escaped  from  the  cabin,  the  people  on  deck  were 
given  to  understand  that  the  rum  was  broken  loose.  The 
word  rum  soon  attracted  the  sailor's  attention,  and  this  cask 
being  the  ship's  only  stock,  they  were  not  tardy  (as  may  be 
supposed  )  in  rendering  their  assistance  to  double  lash,  what 
they  anticipated — the  delight,  of  frequently  splicing  the  main- 
brace  therewith  during  their  voyage. 

Oi\  the  14th  the  weather  became  moderate,  and  the  crew 
were  employed  in  making  good  the  stowage  of  the  stores  in 
the  hold,  which  had  given  way  during  the  night ; — shaking 
reefs  out  of  the  top-sails,  getting  up  top-gal iant-masts  and 
yards,  and  rigging  out  studding-sails.  All  hands  being  now 
called  to  dinner,  a  bustle  and  confused  noise  took  place  on 
deck.  The  captain  (who  was  below)  sent  the  writer  of  this  to 
discover  the  cause  thereof,  but  before  he  could  explain,  a 
voice  was  crying  out  in  a  most  piteous  and  vociferous  tone. 
The  captain  and  chief  mate  jumped  on  deck,  and  found  the 
crew  had  got  the  cook  laid  on  the  windlass,  and  were  giving 
him  a  most  severe  cobbing  with  a  flat  piece  of  his  own  lire 
wood.  As  soon  as  the  captain  had  reached  forward,  he  was 
much  exasperated  with  them  for  their  precipitate  conduct,  in 
punishing  without  his  knowledge  and  permission,  and  having 
prohibited  such  proceedings  in  future  cases,  he  inquired  the 
cause  of  their  grievance.  The  cook,  it  seems,  having  been 
served  out  fresh  water  to  dress  vegetables  for  .all  hands, 
had  inadvertently  used  it  for  some  other  purpose,  and  boiled 
the  greens  in  a  copper  of  salt  water,  which  rendered  them  so 
intolerably  toiigh,  that  they  were  not  fit  for  use  ;  consequently 
he  sailors  had  not  their  expected  garnish,  and  a  general  mur- 
mur taking  pi  ice,  the  above  punishment  was  inflicted. 

A  steady  breeze  ensuing,  ail  sails  tilled  and  the  ship  made 
way,  with  a  lofty  and  majestic  air  ;  and  at  every  plunge  of 
her  bows,  which  was  truly  Dutch-built,  rose  a  foam  of  no 
small  appearance. 

During  four  days  the  weather  continued  favorable,  which 
flattered  the  seamen  with  a  speedy  sight  of  land. 

On  the  19th  we  encountered  a  very  violent  gale,  with  an 
unusual  heavy  sea  : — The  ship  worked  greatly,  and  took  in 


60  THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PEGGY 

much  water  through  her  seams  ---the  pumps  were  kept  fre- 
quently going.  At  mid-day,  while  the  crew  were  at  dinner^ 
a  tremendous  .sea  struck  the  ship  right  art,  which  tore  in  the 
cahin  windows,  upset  the  whole  of  the  dinner,  and  nearly 
drowned  the  captain,  mate,  and  myself,  who  was  tit  that  time 
lio-lding  a  dish  on  the  table,  while  the  captain  was  busily  em- 
ployed in  carving  a  fine  goose,  which,  much  to  our  discomfit- 
ure, was  entirely  drenched  by  the  salt-water.  Some  of  tho 
coops  were  wasiied  from  the  quarter-deck,  and  several  of  the 
poultry  destroyed. 

In  consequence  of  the  vessel  shipping  so  great  a  quantity 
of  water,  the  pumps  were  doubly  manned,  and  soon  gained  on 
her.  The  gale  had  not  in  the  least  abated  during  the  night. 
The  well  was  plumbed,  and  there  was  found  to  be  a  sudden 
and  alarming  increase  of  water.  The  carpenter  was  imme- 
diately ordered  to  examine  the  ship  below,  in  order  to  find  the 
cause  of  the  vessel's  making  so  much  water.  His  report  was, 
she  being  a  very  old  vessel,  her  seams  had  considerably  open- 
ed by  her  laboring  so  much,  therefore,  could  devise  no  means 
at  present  to  prevent  the  evil.  He  also  reported,  the  mizen- 
mast  to  be  in  great  danger. 

The  heel  of  the  mizen-mast  being  stepped  between  decks  (a 
very  unusual  case,  but  probably  it  was  placed  there  in  order 
to  make  more  room  for  stowage  in  the  after-hold)  was  likely 
to  work  from  its  step,  and  thereby  might  do  considerable 
damage  to  the  ship. 

The  captain  now  held  a  consultation  with  the  officers,  when 
it  was  deemed  expedient  to  cut  the  mast  away  without  delay  : 
this  was  accordingly  put  into  execution  the  following  morning, 
as  soon  as  the  day  made  its  appearance.  The  necessary  pre- 
parations having  been  made,  the  carpenter  began  hewing  at 
the  mast,  and  quickly  made  a  deep  wound.  Some  of  the  crew 
were  stationed  ready  to  cut  away  the  stays  and  lanyards, 
whilst  the  remaining  part  was  anxiously  watching  the  moment- 
ary crash  which  was  to  ensue  ;  the  word  being  given  to  cul 
away  the  weather-lanyards,  as  the  ship  gave  a  lee-lurch,  the 
the  whole  of  the  wreck  of  the  mast  plunged,  without  fuither 
injury,  into  the  ocean. 

The  weather  still  threatening  a  continuance,  our  principal 
employ  was  at  the  pumps,  which  were  kept  continually  going. 
The  sea  had  now  rose  to  an  alarming  height,  and  frequently 
struck  the  vessel  with  great  violence.  Towaidsthe  afternoon 
part  of  the  starboard  bulwark  was  carried  away  by  the  shock  of 
*  heavy  sea, which  made  the  ship  broach-to,  and  before  she  could' 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PEGGY  61 

answer  her  helm  again,  a  sea  broke  through  the  fore-chains, 
and  swept  away  the  caboose  and  all  its  utensils  from  the  deck  ; 
forturia'ily  for  the  cook  he  was  assisting  at  the  pumps  at  the 
time,  01  he  inevitably  must  have  shared  the  same  late  as  his 
galley 

Notwithstanding  the  exertions  of  the  crew,  the  water  gain- 
ed fast,  and  made  its  way  into  the  hold,  which  washed  a  great 
quantity  of  the  ballast  through  the  timber-holes  into  the  hull, 
oy  which  the  suckers  of  the  pumps  were  much  damaged,  and 
thereby  frequently  choaked.  By  such  delays  the  leaks  in- 
creased rapidly.  We  were  under  the  necessity  of  repeatedly 
hoisting  the  pumps  on  deck,  to  apply  different  means  which 
were  devised  to  keep  the  sand  from  entering,  but  all  our  ef- 
forts proved  ineffectual,  and  the  pumps  were  deemed  of  no  fur- 
ther utility.  There  was  now  no  time  to  be  lost  ;  accordingly 
it  was  agreed  that  the  allowance  of  fresh  water  should  be  less- 
ened .o  a  pint  a  man  ;  the  casks  were  immediately  hoisted  frorr 
the  hold,  and  lashed  between  decks  As  the  water  was  start- 
ed from  two  of  them,  they  were  sawed  in  two,  and  formed  into 
buckets,  there  being  no  other  casks  on  board  tit  for  that  pur- 
pose ;  the  whips  were  soon  applied,  and  the  hands  began  bail- 
ing at  the  fore  and  after  hatchways  which  continued  without 
ibtermission  the  whole  of  the  night,  each  man  being  suffered 
tu  take  one  hour's  rest,  in  rotation. 

The  morning  of  the22d  presented  to  our  view  a  most  dreary 
aspect, — a  dismal  horizon  encircling — not  the  least  appear- 
ance of  the  gale  abating — on  the  contrary,  it  seemed  to  come 
with  redoubled  vigor — the  ballast  washing  from  side  to  side  of 
the  ship  at  each  roll,  and  scarce  a  prospect  of  freeing  her. 
Notwithstanding  these  calamities,  the  crew  did  not  relax  theii 
efforts.  The  main-hatchway  was  opened  and  fresh  buckets 
went  to  work  ;  the  captain  and  mate  alternately  relieving  each 
other  at  the  helm.  The  writer's  station  was  to  supply  the 
crew  with  grog,  which  was  plentifully  served  to  them  every 
two  hours.  By  the  motion  of  the  ship  the  buckets  struck 
against  the  combings  of  the  hatchways  with  great  violence, 
and  in  casting  them  in  the  hold  to  fill,  they  frequently  struck 
on  the  floating  pieces  of  timber  which  were  generally  used  as 
chocks  in  stowing  the  hold.  By  such  accidents  the  buckets 
were  repeatedly  stove,  and  we  were  under  the  necessity  of 
cutting  more  of  the  \vater  casks  to  supply  their  place.  Start- 
ing the  fresh  water  overboard  was  reluctantly  done,  par- 
ticularly as  we  now  felt  the  loss  of  the  caboose,  and  Were  under 
tne  necessity  of  eating  the  meat  raw  which  occasioned  us  t« 


63  THE    LOSS    OV    THE    PEOOT 

oe  very  thirsty.  Night  coming  on,  the  crew,  were  not  allow 
ed  to  go  below  to  sleep  ;  each  man,  when  it  came  to  his  turn, 
stretched  himself  on  the  deck. 

Oct.  23.  Notwithstanding  the  great  quantity  of  water  bailed 
from  the  vessel,  she  gained  so  considerably  that  she  had  vis- 
ibly settled  much  deeper  in  the  water.  All  hands  were  now 
called  aft,  in  order  to  consult  on  the  best  measures.  It  was 
now  unanimously  resolved  to  make  for  the  island  of  Bermudas. 
it  being  the  nearest  land.  Accordingly  we  bore  away  for  it, 
but  had  not  sailed  many  leagues  before  we  found  that  the 
great  quantity  of  water  in  the  vessel  had  impeded  her  steer- 
age so  much  that  she  would  scarcely  answer  her  helm  ;  and 
making  a  very  heavy  lurch,  .the  ballast  shifted,  which  gave 
her  a  great  lift  to  the  starboard,  and  rendered  it  very  difiicuh 
to  keep  a  firm  footing  on  deck.  The  anchors  which  were 
stowed  on  the  larboard  bow  were  ordered  to  be  cut  away,  and 
the  cables  which  were  on  the  orlop  deck  to  be  hove  overboard 
in  order  to  right  her  ;  but  all  this  had  a  very  trifling  effect,  for 
the  ship  was  now  become  quite  a  log. 

The  crew  were  still  employed  in  baling  ;  one  of  whom,  in 
preventing  a  bucket  from  being  stove  against  (he  combings, 
let  go  his  hold,  and  fell  down  the  hatchway  ;  with  great  diffi- 
culty he  escaped  being  drowned  or  dashed  against  the  ship's 
sides.  Having  got  into  a  bucket  which  was  instantly  lowered, 
he  was  providentially  hoisted  on  deck  without  any  injury. 

During  the  night  the  weather  became  more  moderate,  and 
on  the  following  morning,  (Oct.  25),  the  gale  had  entirely 
subsided,  but  left  a  very  heavy  swell.  Two  large  whales  ap- 
proached close  to  the  ship.  They  sported  around  the  vessel 
the  whole  of  the  day,  and  after  dti.sk  disappeared. 

Having  now  no  further  use  of  the  helm,  it  was  lashed  down, 
and  the  captain  and  mate  took  their  spell  at  the  buckets.  My 
assistance  having  been  also  required,  a  boy  of  less  strength, 
whose  previous  business  was  to  attend  the  cook,  now  took  my 
former  station  of  serving  the  crew  with  refreshments.  This 
lad  had  not  long  filled  his  new  situation  of  drawing  out  rum 
from  the  cask,  before  he  was  tempted  to  taste  it,  and  which 
having  repeatedly  done  he  soon  became  intoxicated,  and  was 
missed  on  deck  for  some  time.  I  was  sent  to  look  for  him. 
The  spigot  I  perceived  out  of  the  cask,  and  the  liquor  running 
about,  but  the  boy  I  could  not  see  for  some  tirae  ;  how-  ( 
ever  looking  down  the  lazeretto  (the  trap-door  of  which  was 
lying  open),  I  found  him  fast  asleep.  He  had  luckily  fallen 
ca  some  sails  which  were  slowed  there,  or  he  must 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    PEGOT.  63 

On  the  26th  arjri  27th  of  Oct.  the.weatht/  continued  quite 
clear,  with  light  ballling  winds.  A  man  was  constantly  kept 
aloft  to  look  out  for  a  sail  The  rest  of  the  crew  were  em- 
ployed at  the  whips. 

On  the  28th  the  weather  began  to  lower,  and  appeared  in- 
clined for  rain.  This  gave  some  uneasiness,  being  appre- 
hensive of  a  gale.  The  captain  therefore  directed  the  car- 
penter to  overhaul  the  long-boat,  caulk  her,  and  raise  a  streak 
which  orders  were  immediately  complied  with  ;  but  when  he 
went  to  his  locker  for  oakum,  lie  found  it  plundered  of  nearly 
the  whole  of  his  stock — all  hands  were  therefore  set  to  pick- 
ing, by  which  means  he  was  soon  supplied. 

It  was  totally  clear  on  the  29th,  with  a  fresh  breeze,  but 
the  ship  heeled  so  much  that  her  gunwale  at  times  was  undei 
water,  and  the  crew  could  scarcely  stand  on  deck.  All  hands 
were  now  ordered  to  assemble  a{\,  when  the  captain  in  a  short 
address,  pointed  out  the  most  probable  manner  by  which  the} 
could  be  saved.  All  agreed  in  opinion  with  him,  and  it  was 
resolved  that  the  long-boat  should  be  hoisted  out  as  speedily 
as  possible,  and  such  necessaries  as  could  be  conveniently 
stowed,  to  be  placed  in  her.  Determined  no  longer  to  labor 
at  the  buckets,  the  vessel,  which  could  not  remain  above 
water  many  hours  after  we  had  ceased  baling,  was  now  aban- 
doned to  her  fate. 

I  now  began  to  reflect  on  the  small  chance  we  had  of  being 
saved — twenty-two  people  in  an  open  boat — upwards  of  three 
hundred  miles  from  the  land — in  a  boisterous  climate,  and  the 
whole  crew  worn  out  with  fatigue  !  The  palms  of  the  crew's 
hands  were  already  so-flayed  it  could  not  be  expected  that  they 
could  do  much  execution  with  the  oars — while  thus  reflecting 
on  our  perilous  situation,  one  of  our  oldest  seamen,  jpho  at 
this  moment  was  standing  near  me,  turned  his  head  aside  to 
wipe  away  a  tear — I  could  not  refrain  from  sympathizing  with 
him — my  heart  was  already  full  ; — The  captain  perceiving  my 
despondency  bade  me  be  of  good  cheer,  and  called '  me  a 
young  lubber. 

The  boat  having  been  hoisted  out,  and  such  necessaries 
placed  in  her  as  were  deemed  requisite,  one  of  the  hands  waa 
sent  aloft  to  lash  the  colors  downwards  to  the  main-top-mast 
shrouds  ;  which  having  done,  he  placed  himself  on  the  cross- 
trees,  to  look  around  him,  and  almost  instantly  hallooed  out, 
— — "  A  sail." — It  wouid  be  impossible  to  describe  the  ecstatic 
emotions  of  the  crew  :  every  man  was  aloft,  in  order  to  be 
satisfied  ;  though,  a  minute  before,  not  one  of  the  crew  waa 
able  to  stand  upright. 


64  THE    LOSS   OP    THE    L1TCHPIKLD. 

The  sail  was  on  our  weather-bow,  bearing  right  clown  on  us 
with  a  smart  brce/e.  oiie  soon  perceived  us,  but  hauled  her 
wind  severai  times,  in  order  to  examine  our  ship.  As  she  ap- 
proached nearer  sne  clearly  perceived  our  calamitous  situa- 
tion, and  hastened  to  our  relief. 

She  proved  to  ne  a  Philadelphia  schooner,  bound  to  Caoo 
Francois,  in  St.  jJommcro.  The  captain  took  us  all  on  hoard 
in  the  most  humane  ana  friendly  manner,  and  after  casting 
our  boat  adrift,  pi'or.eeuecl  on  nis  voyage.  When  \ve  perceiv- 
ed our  ship  from  tne  vesse!  on  which  we  were  now  happily  on 
board,  her  appearance  was  truly  deplorable. 

The  captain  of  trie  schooner  congratulated  us  on  our  for- 
tunate escape,  and  expressed  his  surprise  that  the  ship  should 
remain  so  long  on  her  beam  ends,  in  such  a  heavy  sea,  with- 
out capsizing.  We  soon  began  to  distance  the  wreck,  by  this 
time  very  low  in  tne  water,  and  shortly  after  lost  sight  of  her 

The  evening  bejjan  to  approach  fast,  when  a  man  loosing 
the  main-top-sail,  descneo  a  sail  directly  in  the  same  course 
on  our  quarter.  We  made  sail  for  her,  and  soon  came  within 
hail  of  her.  She  proved  to  be  a  brig  from  Glasgow,  bound  to 
Antigua.  It  was  now  determined,  between  the  captains,  that 
half  of  our  people  should  remain  in  the  schooner,  and  the  cap- 
tain, mate,  eight  of  the  crew,  and  myself,  should  gel  on  board 
the  brig.  On  our  arrival  at  Antigua  we  met  with  much  kind- 
ness and  humanity. 


LOSS  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  SHIP  LITCIIFIELP 

The  Litchfleld,  Captain  Barton,  left  Ireland  on  the  1 1th  of. 
November,  1758,  in  company  with  several  other  men  of : -war 
and  transports,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Kep'pcl, 
intended  for  the  reduction  of  Goree.  The  voyage  was  pros- 
perous till  the  28th,  when  at  eight  in  the  evening  1  took 
charge  of  the  watch,  and  the  weather  turned  out  very  squal- 
ly with  rain.  At  nine  it  was  extremely  dark,  with  much 


TH*    T.OII   or    THE    LITCBFIKLD.  65 

ightning,  the  wind  varying  from  S.  \V.  to  W.  N.  \V.  At 
half  past  nine,  had  a  very  hard  squall.  Captain  Barton  camo 
upon  deck  and  staid  till  ten;  then  left  orders  to  keep  sight 
of  the  commodore,  and  to  make  what  sail  the  weather  would 
permit.  At  eleven,  saw  the  commodore  bearing  south,  but 
the  squalls  coming  on  so  heavy,  were  obliged  to  hand  the 
main-top-sail,  and  at  twelve  o'clock,  were  under  our  courses 

November  the  29,  at  one  in  the  morning,  I  left  the  deck  in 
charge  of  the  first  lieutenant;  ,.ie  i^ht,  which  we  took  to  be 
the  commodore's  right  ahead,  heading  S.  wind  W.  S.W.  blow- 
ing very  hard;  at  six  in  the  morning  I  was  awakened  by  a 
great  shock,  and  a  confused  noise  of  the  men  on  deck.  I 
ran  up,  thinking  some  ship  had  run  foul  of  us,  for,  by  my  own 
reckoning,  and  that  of  every  other  person  in  the  ship,  we 
were  at  least  35  leagues  distant  from  land;  but,  before  J  could 
reach  the  quarter-deck,  the  ship  gave  a  great  stroke  upon  the 
ground,  and  the  sea  broke  all  over  her.  Just  after  this,  I 
could  perceive  the  land,  rocky,  rugged  and  uneven,  about 
two  cables'  length  from  us.  The  ship  lying  with  her  broadside 
to  windward,  the  masts  soon  went  overboard,  carrying  some 
men  with  them.  It  is  impossible  for  any" one  but  a  sufl'erer  to 
feel  our  distress  at  this  time;  the  masts,  yards,  and  sails  hang- 
ing alongside  in  a  confused  heap;  the  ship  beating  violently 
upon  the  rocks;  the  waves  curling  up  to  an  incredible 
height,  then  dashing  down  with  such  force  as  if  they  would 
immediately  have  split  the  ship  to  pieces,  which  we,  indeed, 
every  moment  expected.  Having  a  little  recovered  from  our 
confusion,  saw  it  necessary  to  get  every  thing  we  could  over 
to  the  larboard  side,  to  prevent  the  ship  from  heeling  off,  and 
exposing  the  deck  to  the  sea.  Some  of  the  people  were  very 
earnest  to  get  the  boats  out  contrary  to  advice;  and,  after  much 
intreaty,  notwithstanding  a  most  terrible  sea,-o  ic  of  the  boats 
was  launched,  and  eight  of  the  best  men  jumped  into  her,  but 
she  had  scarcely  got  to  the  ship's  stern,  when  she  was  whirl- 
ed to  the  bottom,  and  y/sry  soul  in  her  perished.  The  rest 
of  the  boats  were  soon  washed  to  pieces  on  the  deck. — 
We  then  made  a  raft  of  the  davit,  capstan-bars  and  sorno 
boards,  and  waited  with  resignation,  for  divine  Providence  to 
assist  us. 

The  ship  soon  filled  with  water,  so  that  we  had  no  lime  to 
get  any  provision  up;  the  quarter-deck  and  poop  were  now 
the  only  place  we  could  stand  on  with  secur  ty,  the  waves 
being  mostly  spent  by  the  time  they  reached  us,  owing  to  the 
fore  part  of  the  ship  breaking  them 


$6  THE    LOSS    OF    THE     LITCHFIELD. 

At  four  in  the  afternoon,  perceiving  the  sea  to  be  mucto 
abated,  one  cf  our  people  attempted  to  swim,  and  got  safe  on 
shore.  There  were  numbers  of  Moors  upon  the  rocks  ready 
te  take  hold  of  any  one,  and  beckoned  much  for  us  to  come 
ashore,  which,  at  first  we  took  for  kindness,  but  they  soon  un- 
deceived us,  for  they  had  not  the  humanity  to  assist  any  that 
was  entirely  naked,  but  woul-d  fly  to  those  who  had  any  thing 
about  them,  and  strip  them  before  they  were  quite  out  of  the 
water,  wrangling  among  themselves  about  the  plunder;  in  the 
mean  time  the  poor  wretched  were  left  to  crawl  up  the  rocks 
if  they  were  able,  if  not,  they  perished  unregarded.  The 
second  lieutenant  and  myself,  with  about  sixty-five  others-,  got 
ashore  before  dark,  but  were  Jell  exposed  to  the  weather  on 
the  cold  sand.  To  preserve  ourselves  from  perishing  of  cold, 
were  obliged  to  go  down  to  the  shore,  and  to  bring  up  pieces 
of  the  wreck  to  make  a  fire.  While  thus  employed,  if  we 
happened  to  pick  up  a  shirt  or  handkerchief,  and  did  not  give 
it  to  the  Moors  at  the  first  demand,  the  next  thing  was  a  dag- 
ger presented  to  our  breast. 

They  allowed  us  a  piece  of  an  old  sail,  which  they  did  not 
think  worth  carrying  off;  with  this  we  made  two  tents,  and 
crowded  ourselves  into  them,  sitting  between  one  another's 
legs  to  preserve  warmth,  and  make  room.  In  this  uneasy  situ- 
ation, continually  bewailing  our  misery,  and  that  of  our  poor 
shipmates  on  the  wreck,  we  passed  a  most  tedious  night,  with- 
out so  much  as  a  drop  of  water  to  refresh  ourselves,  except- 
ing what  we  caught  through  our  sail-cloth  covering.  . 

November  the  30th,  at  six  in  the  morning,  went  down  with 
a  number  of  our  men  upon  the  rocks,  to  assist  our  shipmates 
in  coming  ashore,  and  found  the  ship  had  been  greatly  shat- 
tered in  the  night.  It  being  now  low  water,  many  attempted 
to  swim  ashore;  some  got  safe,  but  others  perished.  The 
people  on  board  got  the  raft  into  the  water,  and  about  fifteen 
men  placed  themselves  upon  it.  They  had  no  sooner  put  off 
from  the  wreck,  than  it  overturned;  most  of  the  men  recover- 
ed it  again,  but,  scarcely  were  they  on,  before  it  was  a  second 
time  overturned.  Only  three  or  four  got  hold  of  it  again,  and 
all  the  rest  perished.  In  the  mean  time,  a  good  swimmer 
brought  with  much  difficulty  a  rope  ashore,  which  I  had  the 
good  fortune  to  catch  hold  of  just  when  he  was  quite  spent, 
and  had  thoughts  of  quitting  it. 

Some  people  coming  to  my  assistance,  we  pulled  a  large 
rope  ashore  with  that,  and  made  it  fast  round  a  rock.  We 
found  this  gave  great  spirits  to  the  poor  souls  upon  the  wreck 


THE    LOSS    OP   THE     MTCUFIELD.  6? 

it  being  hauled  taught  from  the  upper  part  of  the  stern,  made 
an  easy  descent  to  any  who  hud  art  enough  to  walk  or  slido 
upon  a  rope,  with  a  smaller  rope  fixed  above  to  hold  by.  This 
was  a  means  of  saving  a  number  of  lives,  though  many  were 
washed  ofl"  by  the  impetuous  surf,  and  perished.  The  flooa 
coming  on,  raised  the  surf,  and  prevented  any  more  from 
corning  at  that  time,  so  that  the  ropes  could  be  of  no  furthe 
use.  We  then  retired  from  the  rocks;  and  hunger  prevailing, 
set  about  boiling  some  of  the  drowned  turkeys,  Sec.  which 
with  some  flour  mixed  into  a  paste,  and  baked  upon  the  coals, 
constituted  our  first  meal  upon  this  barbarous  coast.  We 
found  a  well  of  fresh  water  about  a  half  a  mile  off,  which  very 
much  refreshed  us.  But  we  had  scarcely  finished  this  coarse 
repast,  when  the  Moors,  who  were  now  grown  numerous, 
drove  us  all  down  to  the  rocks  to  bring  up  empty  iron  bound 
casks,  pieces  of  the  wreck  which  had  the  most'iron  about  them, 
and  other  articles. 

About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  made  another  meal 
on  the  drowned  poultry,  and  finding  this  was  the  best  provi- 
sion we  were  likely  to  have;  some  were  ordered  to  save  ail 
they  could  find,  others  to  raise  a  larger  tent,  and  the  rest  sent 
down  to  the  rocks  to  look  for  people  coming  ashore.  The 
surf  greatly  increasing  with  the  flood,  and  breaking  upon  the 
fore-part  of  the  ship,  she  was  divided  into  three  parts;  the 
fore-part  turned  keel  up,  the  middle  part  soon  dashed  into  a 
thousand  pieces;  the  fore-part  of  the  poop  likewise  fell  at  this 
time,  and  about  thirty  men  with  it,  eight  of  whom  got  ashore 
with  our  help,  but  so  bruised,  that  we  despaired  of  their  re- 
covery. Nothing  but  the  after-part  of  the  poop  now  remain- 
ed above  water,  and  a  very  small  part  of  the  other  decks,  on 
which  our  captain,  and  about  130  more  remained,  expecting 
every  wave  to  be  their  last.  Kvery  shock  threw  some  ofT; 
few  or  none  of  whom  came  on  shor,e  alive.  During  this  dis- 
tress the  Moors  laughed  uncommonly,  and  seemed  much  di- 
verted, when  a  wave  larger  than  usual,  threatened  the  destruc- 
tion ov*  the  poor  wretches  on  the  wreck.  Between  four  and 
five  o'clock  the  sea  was  decreased  with  the  ebb;  the  rope  be- 
ing still  secure,  the  people  began  to  venture  upon  it;  some 
tumbled  off  and  perished,  but  others  reached  the  shore  in 
safety. 

About  five,  we  beckoned  as  much  as  possible  for  the  cap- 
tain to  come  upon  the  rope,  as  this  seemed  to  be  as  good 
an  opportunity  as  any  we  had  seen;  and  many  arrived  in 
•afety  with  our  assistance  Some  told  us  that  the  captaw 


68  THE    LOSS    OF    THE     MTCIIFIBLD. 

was  determined  to  stay  till  all  the  men  had  quitted  the  wreck 
however,  we  still  continued  to  beckon  for  him,  and  before  it 
was  dark,  saw  him  come  upon  the  rope.  He  was  closely  fol- 
towed  by  a  good  able  seaman,  who  did  all  he  could  to  keep  up 
his  spirits  and  assist  him  in  warping.  As  he  could  not  swim, 
and  had  been  so  many  hours  without  refreshment,  with  the 
surf  hurling  him  violently  along,  he  was  unable  to  resist  the 
force  of  the  waves,  had  lost  his  hold  of  the  great  rope,  and 
must  inevitably  have  perished  had  not  a  wave  thrown,  him 
within  the  reach  of  our  ropes,  which  he  had  barely  sufficient 
sense  to  catch  hold  of.  We  pulled  him  up,  and  after  resting 
a  short  time  on  the  rocks,  he  came  to  himself,  and  walked  up 
to  the  tent,  desiring  us  to  continue  to  assist  the  rest  of  the 
people  in  coming  on  shore. 

The  villians,  (the  Moors),  would  have  stripped  him,  though, 
he  had  nothing  on  but  a  plain  waistcoat  and  breeches,  if  AVO 
had  not  plucked  up  a  little  spirit  and  opposed  them;  upon 
which  they  thought  proper  to  desist.  The  people  continued 
to  come  ashore,  though  many  perished  in  the  attempt.  The 
Moors,  at  length,  growing  tired  with  waiting  for  so  little  plun- 
der, would  not  suffer  us  to  remain  on  the  rocks,  but  drove  us 
all  away.  I  then,  with  the  captain's  approbation,  went,  and 
by  signs  made  humble  supplication  to  the  bashaw,  who  was  in 
the  tent,  dividing  the  valuable  plunder.  He  understood  us  at 
last,  and  gave  us  permission  to  go  down,  at  the  same  time 
sending  some  Moors  with  us.  We  carried  fire-brands  down  to 
let  the  poor  souls  on  the  wreck  see  that  we  were  still  there  in 
readiness  to  assist  them.  About  nine  at  night  finding  that 
no  more  men  would  venture  upon  the  rope,  as  the  surf  was 
again  greatly  increased,  we  retired  to  the  tent,  leaving  by  the 
account  of  the  last  man  arrived,  between  thirty  and  forty  souls 
still  upon  the  wreck.  We  now  thought  of  stowing  every 
body  in  the  tent,  and  began  by  fixing  the  captain  in  the  mid- 
dle. Then  made  every  man  lie  down  on  his  side,  as  we  coula 
not  afford  them  each  a  breadth;  but,  after  all,  many  took  easi- 
er lodging  in  empty  casks. 

The  next  morning  the  weather  was  moderate  and  fair. — 
We  found  the  wreck  all  in  pieces  on  the  rocks,  and  the  fhoro 
covered  with  lumber.  The  people  upon  the  wreck  all  perish- 
ed about  one  in  morning.  In  the  afternoon  we  called  a  mus- 
ter, and  found  the  number  of  the  survivors  to  be  220;  so  that 
130  perished  on  this  melancholy  occasion. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  the  weather  still  continued  moder- 
ate. We  subsisted  entirely  on  the  drowned  stock,  and  a  lit- 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    LITCHFIELD.  69 

tie  pork  to  relish  it,  and  the  flour  made  into  cakes;  all  of  which 
we  issued  regularly  and  sparingly,  being  ignorant  whether 
the  Moors  would  furnish  us  with  any  thing,  they  being  stul  very 
troublesome,  and  even  wanting  to  rob  us  of  the  canvass  which 
covered  our  tent. 

At  two  in  the  afternoon  a  black  servant  arrived,  sent  by 
Mr.  Butler,  a  Dane,  factor  to  the  African  Company  at  Saffy 
at  the  distance  of  about  thirty  miles,  to  inquire  into  our  con 
dition  and  to  offer  us  assistance.  The  man  having  brought 
pens,  ink  and  paper,  the  captain  sent  back  a  letter  by  him.— 
Finding  there  was  one  who  offered  us  help,  it  greatly  refresh 
ed  our  afflicted  hearts. 

In  the  after  oon  of  the  following  day,  we  received  a  lette' 
from  Mr.  Butler,  with  some  bread  and  a  few  other  necessa 
ries.  On  the  4th,  the  people  were  employed  in  picking  up 
pieces  of  sails,  and  whatever  else  the  Moors  would  permit 
them.  We  divided  the  crew  into  messes,  and  served  the 
necessaries  we  received  the  preceding  day.  They  had  bread 
and  the  flesh  of  the  drowned  stock.  In  the  afternoon  we 
received  another  letter  from  Mr.  Butler,  and  one  at  the  same 
time  from  Mr.  Andrews,  an  Irish  gentleman,  a  merchant  at 
Saffy.  The  Moors  were  not  so  troublesome  now  as  before, 
most  of  them  going  off  with  what  they  had  got. 

On  the  5th  the  drowned  stock  was  entirely  consumed,  and 
at  low  water  the  people  were  employed  in  collecting  muscles. 
At  ten  in  the  morning,  Mr.Andrews  arrived,  bringing  a  French 
surgeon  with  medicines  and  plaisters,  of  which,  some  of  the 
men  who  had  been  dreadfully  bruised,  stood  in  great  need. — 
The  following  day,  we  served  out  one  of  the  blankets  of  the 
counts-  to  every  two  men,  and  pampooses,  a  kind  of  slippers, 
to  thoau  \\lio  were  in  most  want  of  them.  These  supplies 
were  likewise  brought  us  by  Mr.  Andrews.  The  people  were 
now  obliged  to  live  upon  muscles  and  bread,  the  Moors,  who 
promised  us  a  supply  of  cattle,  having  deceived  us,  and  never 
returned. 

The  people  on  the  7th  were  still  employed  in  collecting 
muscles  and  limpets.  The  Moors  began  to  be  a  little  civil  to 
as,  for  fear  the  emperor  should  punish  them  for  their  cruel 
treatment  to  us.  In  the  afternoon,  a  messenger  arrived  from 
the  emperer  at  Salle,  with  general  orders  to  the  people  to 
supply  us  with  previsions.  They  accordingly  brought  us 
some  lean  bullocks  and  sheep  which  Mi  Andrews  purchased 
for  us;  but  at  this  time  we  had  no  pots  to  make  broth  in,  and 
the  cattle  were  scarcely  fit  for  any  thing  else. 


TO  THl   LOSS   07  THB    LITCHTIILD. 

In  the  morning  of  the  10th,  wo  made  preparations  for 
marching  to  Morocco,  the  emperor  having  sent  orders  for  that 
purpose,  and  camels  to  carry  the  lame  and  necessaries.  At 
nine,  set  off  with  about  thirty  camels,  having  got  all  our 
liquor  with  us,  divided  into  hogsheads,  for  the  convenience  of 
carriage  on  the  camels.  At  noon,  joined  the  crews  of  one  of 
the  transports  and  a  bomb-tender,  that  had  been  wrecked 
about  three  leagues  to  the  northward  of  us.  We  were  then 
all  mounted  upon  camels,  excepting  the  captain,  who  was 
furnished  with  a  horse.  We  never  stopped  till  seven  in  the 
evening,  when  they  procured  two  tents  only,  which  would 
not  contain  one  third  of  the  men,  so  that  most  of  them  lay 
exposed  to  the  dew,  which  was  very  heavy,  and  extremely 
cold.  We  found  our  whole  number  to  be  388,  including  offi- 
cers, men,  boys,  three  women  and  a  child,  which  one  of  the 
women  brought  ashore  in  her  teeth. 

On  the  llth,  continued  our  journey,  attended  by  a  number 
of  JNIoors  on  horseback.  At  six  in  the  evening  we  came  to 
our  resting  place  for  that  night,  and  were  furnished  with  tenta 
sufficient  to  cover  all  our  men. 

At  five  in  the  morning  of  the  12th,  we  set  out  as  before, 
and,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  saw  the  emperor's  cavalcade  at 
a  distance.  At  three,  a  relation  of  the  emperor's,  named 
Muli  Adriz,  came  to  us,  and  told  the  captain  it  was  the  em- 
peror's orders,  he  should  that  instant  write  a  letter  to  our 
governor  at  Gibraltar,  to  send  to  his  Britanic  Majesty  to  in- 
quire whether  he  would  settle  a  peace  with  him  or  not.  Cap- 
tain Barton  immediately  sat  down  upon  the  grass  and  wrote  a 
letter,  which,  being  given  to  Muli  Adriz,  he  went  and  joined 
the  emperor  again.  At  six  in  the  evening  came  to  our  rest- 
ing place  for  the  night,  and  were  well  furnished  with  tents, 
but  very  little  provisions 

We  were,  the  following  day,  desired  to  continue  on  the 
same  spot,  till  the  men  were  refreshed,  and  this  repose  they 
greatly  needed,  and  we  received  a  better  supply  of  provi- 
sions. That  morning,  Lieutenant  Harrison  commanding  the 
soldiers  belonging  to  Lord  Korbes's  regiment  died  suddenly 
in  the  tent.  In  the  evening,  while  employed  with  his  inter- 
ment, the  inhuman  Moors  disturbed  us  by  throwing  stones 
and  mocking  us.  The  next  day  we  found  that  tney  hud 
opened  the  grave  and  stripped  the  body. 

On  the  Ibth,  we  continued  our  journey,  came  to  our  rest- 
ing place  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  pitched  the  tents,  and  serv- 
ed out  the  provision.  Here  our  people  were  ill-treated  bjr 


TKK    LOSS    OF    TUB     LITCHF'ELD.  71 

he  country  Moors.  As  they  were  taking  water  from  u  brook, 
the  Moors  would  always  spit  into  the  vessel  before  they  wouH 
suffer  them  to  take  it  away.  Upon  this  some  of  us  went 
down  to  inquire  into  the  affair,  but  were  immediately  saluted 
with  a  shower  of  stones.  «  We  ran  in  upon  them,  beat  some 
of  them  pretty  soundly,  put  them  to  flight,  and  brought  away 
one  who  thought  to  defend  himself  with  a  long  knife.  This 
fellow  was  severely  punished  by  the  officer  who  had  the 
charge  of  conducting  us. 

The  two  succeeding  days  continued  our  journey,  and,  at 
three  in  the  afternoon  of  the  18th,  arrived  at  the  City  of  Mo- 
rocco, without  having  seen  a  single  habitation  during  the 
whole  journey.  Here  we  were  insulted  by  the  rabble,  and, 
at  five,  were  carried  before  tlie  emperor,  surrounded  by  five 
or  six  hundred  of  his  guards.  He  was  on  horseback  before 
the  gate  of  his  palace,  that  being  the  place  where  he  distri- 
butes justice  to  his  people.  He  told  Captain  Barton,  by  an 
interpreter,  that  he  was  neither  at  peace  nor  war  with  Eng- 
land, and  he  would  detain  us  till  an  ambassador  arrived  from 
that  country  to  conclude  a  permanent  treaty.  The  captain 
then  desired  that  we  might  not  be  treated  as  slaves.  He  an- 
swered hastily,  that  we  should  be  taken  care  of.  We  were 
then  immediately  hurried  out  of  his  presence,  conveyed  to 
two  old  ruinous  houses,  shut  up  amidst  dirt  and  innumerable 
vermin  of  every  description.  Mr.  Butler  being  at  Morocco 
on  business,  came  and  supplied  us  with  victuals  and  drink, 
and  procured  liberty  for  the  captain  to  go  home  with  him  to 
his  lodgings.  He  likewise  sent  some  blankets  for  the  officers, 
and  we  made  shift  to  pass  the  night  with  tolerable  comfort, 
being  very  much  fatigued. 

At  nine  in  the  morning  of  the  21st,  the  emperor  sent  orders 
for  the  captain  and  every  officer  to  appear  before  him  We 
immediately  repaired  to  his  palace;  we  remained  waiting 
in  an  outer  yard  two  hours;  in  the  mean  time  he  diverted 
himself  with  seeing  a  clumsy  Dutch  boat  rowed  about  in  a 
pond  by  four  of  our  petty  officers.  About  noon  we  were  call- 
ed before  him,  and  placed  in  a  line  about  thirty  yards  from 
him.  He  was  sitting  in  a  chair  by  the  side  of  the  pond,  ac- 
companied only  by  two  of  his  chief  alcaides.  Having  view- 
ed us  some  time,  he  ordered  the  captain  to  come  forward,  and 
after  asking  him  a  good  many  questions  concerning  our  navy, 
and  the  destination  of  the  squadron  to  which  we  had  belonged, 
we  were  also  called  forward  by  two  and  three  at  a  time  as  we 
Blood  according  to  our  rank.  He  then  asked  most  rf  \i» 


72  THE    LOSS    OF   THE     LITCEFIELD 

•ome  very  insignificant  questions,  and  took  some  to  be  Portu 
guese  because  they  had  black  hair,  and  others  to  be  Swedei 
because  their  hair  was  light.  He  judged  none  of  us  to  be 
English  excepting  the  captain,  the  second  lieutenant,  the  en- 
sign of  the  soldiers,  and  myself.  But  assuring  him  we  were 
all  English,  he  cried  Bonno,  and  gave  a  nod  for  our  depar- 
ture, to  which  we  returned  a  very  low  bow,  and  were  glad  to 
return  to  out  old  ruined  houses  again.  Our  total  nuinbei 
amounted  to  thirty 

On  the  25th,  b-sing  Christmas-day,  prayers  were  read  to  the 
people  as  usual  in  the  church  of  England.  The  captain  this 
day  received  a  present  of  tea  and  loaves  of  sugar  from  one  of 
the  queens,  whose  grandfather  had  been  an  English  renegado. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  26th,  we  received  the  disagreeable 
intelligence,  that  the  emperor  would  oblige  all  the  English  to 
work,  li'ke  all  the  other  Christian  slaves,  excepting  the  officers 
who  were  before  him  on  the  2 1st.  The  next  day  this  account 
was  confirmed;  for,  at  seven  in  the  morning,  an  alcaide  came 
and  ordered  all  our  people  out  to  work,  excepting  the  sick. 
Upon  our  application  eight  were  allowed  to  stay  at  home 
every  day  to  cook  for  the  rest,  and  this  office  was  performed 
by  turns  throughout  the  whole  number.  At  four  in  the  after- 
noon the  people  returned,  some  having  been  employed  in  car- 
rying wood,  some  in  turning  up  the  ground  with  hoes,  and 
others  in  picking  weeds  in  the  emperor's  garden.  Their  vic- 
tuals were  prepared  for  them  against  their  return. 

On  the  28th  all  the  people  went  to  work  as  soon  as  tiiey 
could  see,  and  returned  at  four  in  the  afternoon.  Two  of  the 
soldiers  received  one  hundred  bastinadoes  each,  for  behaving 
in  a  disrespectful  manner  while  the  emoeror  was  looking  at 
their  work. 

On  the  30th,  Captain  Barton  received  a  kind  message  from 
the  emperor,  with  permission  to  ride  out  or  take  a  walk  in  his 
garden  with  his  officers. 

From  this  time  the  men  continued  in  the  same  state  of  (sla- 
very till  the  arrival,  in  April,  of  Captain  Milbank,  sent  as  an 
ambassador  to  the  emperor.  He  concluded  a  treaty  for  the 
ransom  of  the  crew  of  the  Litchfield,  together  with  the  other 
English  subjects  in  the  emperor's  power,  and  the  sum  stipu- 
lated to  be  paid  for  their  release,  was  170,000  dollars.  Our 
people  accordingly  set  out  for  Salee,  attended  by  a  bashaw 
and  two  soldiers  on  horseback.  On  the  fourth  day  of  theif 
march,  they  had  a  skirmish  with  some  of  the  country  Moors 
The  dispute  began  in  consequence  of  some  of  our  men  in  the 


THB    LOSS    OF    THE     L1TCHF1ELD  73 

rear  st./pping  at  a  village  to  buy  some  milk,  for  which,  after 
they  had  drank  it,  the  Moors  demanded  an  exorbitant  price 
This  our  men  refused  to  give,  on  which  the  Moors  had  re- 
course to  blows,  which  our  people  returned;  and  others  com- 
ing to  ti.eir  assistance,  they  maintained  a  smart  battle,  till  the 
enemy  became  too  numerous.  In  the  meantime  some  rode 
ofT  to  call  the  guard,  who  instantly  came  up  with  their  drawn 
scimetars,  and  dealt  round  them  pretty  briskly.  During  this 
interval  we  were  not  idle,  and  had  the  pleasure  to  see  the 
blood  trickling  down  a  good  many  of  their  faces.  The  guards 
seized  the  chief  man  of  the  village,  and  carried  him  before 
the  bashaw,  who  was  our  conductor,  and  who  having  heard 
the  cause  dismissed  him  without  further  punishment,  in  con- 
sideration of  his  having  been  well  drubbed  by  us. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  we  arrived  at  Sallee,  and  pitched  our 
tents  in  an  old  castle,  whence  we  soon  afterwards  embarked 
on  board  the  Gibraltar,  which  landed  us  at  Gibraltar  on  the 
27th  of  June.  From  that  place  the  captain  and  crew  were 
put  on  board  the  Marlborough  store  ship,  prepared  expressly 
for  their  reception,  and  arrived  in  England  in  the  month  o^ 
August,  1760. 


74 


TH*    ROTHSAY    STEAMI* 


WRECK  OF  THE  ROTHSAY  CASTLE  STEAMER 

The  Rothsay  Castle  was  a  steam  packet  which  formerh 
traded  on  the  Clycle.  She  belonged  to  the  line  of  steamers 
which  sailed  from  Liverpool  to  Beaumaris  and  Bangor,  anc 
was  furnished  with  one  engine  ori-ly.  She  was  commanded  bj 
Lieut.  Atkinson.  At  ten  o'clock  on  the  —  of  August,  1831 
the  vessel  \va?  appointed  to  sail  from  the  usual  place,  George's 
Pierhead,  but  a  casual  delay  took  place  in  starting,  and  it  was 
eleven  o'clock  before  she  had  got  every  thing  in  readiness 
Whilst  taking  passengers  on  board,  a  carriage  arrived  at  the 
Pierhead  for  embarkatioa.  It  belonged  to  M.  W.  Foster, 
Esq.  of  Regent's  park,  London,  who,  with  his  wife  and  servant, 
were  conveyed  in  it  to  the  packet,  and  took  their  passage  at 
the  same  time.  Th»\v  were  all  subsequently  drowned,  a  little 
dog  which  accompanied  them  being  the  only  survivor  of  this 
unfortunate  group.  When  the  steamer  left  the  Pierhead  hei 
deck  was  thronged  with  passengers.  The  captain,  crew, 
musicians,  Stc.  amounted  to  fifteen,  in  addition  to  whom,  it  was 
supposed  by  persons  who  saw  the  vessel  sail  that  one  hundred 
and  ten  or  one  hundred  and  twenty  souls  were  on  board 
The  majority  of  the  passengers  consisted  of  holyday  and  family 
oarties,  chiefly  from  country  places  ;  and  in  one  of  these  conv 
oanies,  who  came  on  a  journey  of  pleasure  from  Bury,  the 
hand  of  death  committed  a  merciless  devastation.  It  consist- 
ed of  twenty-six  persons  ;  in  the  morning,  joyous  with  health 
and  hilarity,  they  sat  out  upon  the  waves,  and  when  the  shades 
of  that  evei.ing  a;  Broached,  every  soul  but  two  saw  his  last  of 
suns  go  down. 

The  weather  was  not  particularly  boisterous  at  the  time  she 
*suled.     A  severe  storm  however,  had  raged  in  the  morning 


THE    ROTHBAT   STEAMER.  75 

and  must  have  agitated  the  water  on  the  Banka  more  than 
usual.  T.*>e  wind  too,  blew  strongly  from  the  nr-th-west,  and 
the  vessel  nad  to  contend  with  the  tide,  which  i  *gan  to  flow 
soon  after  she  passed  the  rock.  When  the  steamer  arrived 
off  the  Floating-light,  which  is  stationed  about  fifteen  miles 
fiom  Liverpool,  the  roughness  of  the  sea  aiarmed  many  of  the 
oassengcrs. — One  of  the  survivors  stated,  that  Mr.  Tarry,  of 
ifvry,  who,  with  his  family,  consisting  of  himself,  hi«  wife 
their  five  children,  and  servant,  was  on  board,  being,  in  com 
mon  with  others,  greatly  alarmed  for  his  own  safety  and  the 
safety  of  those  dear  to  him,  went  downgto  the  cabin,  where  the 
captain  was  at  dinner,  and  requested  nim  to  put  back.  His 
reply  ',vcs,  "  I  think  there  is  a  great  deal  of  fear  on  board,  and 
very  little  danger.  If  we  were  to  turn  back  with  passengers, 
it  would  never  do — we  should  have  no  profit."  To  another 
gentleman  who  urged  him  to  put  back,  he  is  reported  to  have 
said  very  angrily,  "  I'm  not  one  of  those  that  turn  back.'' 
lie  remained  in  the  cabin  two  whole  hours,  and  peremptorily 
refused  to  comply  with  the  repeated  requests  made  to  him 
by  the  more  timid  of  his  passengers  to  return  to  Liverpool ; 
observing  that  if  they  knew  him,  they  would  not  make  the  re- 
quest. Before  dinner,  his  behavior  had  been  unexceptionable  ; 
but,  after  he  had  dined,  a  very  striking  difference  was  observ- 
ed in  his  conduct.  He  became  violent  in  his  manner,  and 
abusive  in  his  language  to  the  men.  When  anxiously  ques- 
tioned by  the  passengers,  as  to  the  progress  the  vessel  was 
making,  and  the  time  at  which  she  was  likely  to  reach  her  des 
tination,  he  returned  trifliag,  and  frequently  very  contradic 
i.orv  answers.  During  the  early  part  of  the  voyage,  he  hao 
suoken  confidently  of  being  able  to  reach  Beaumaris  by  sever, 
o  clock  ;  but  the  evening  wore  away,  night  came  on,  and  the 
vessel  was  still  a  considerable  distance  from  the  termination 
ot  her  voyage.  It  was  near  twelve  o'clock  when  they  arrived 
&t  the  mouth  of  the  Menai  Strait,  which  is  about  five  miles 
Irorn  Beaumaris.  The  tide,  which  had  been  running  out  of 
tr»e  st>ait.  and  which  hady  consequently,  for  some  time  pre 
»ious  retarded  the  steamer's  progress  towards  her  destination, 
WAS,  tusi  on  the  turn.  The  vessel,  according  to  the  statement 
ot  two  of  the  seamen  and  one  of  the  firemen  saved,  had  got 
roiino  tne  buoy  on  the  north  end  of  the  Dutchman's  Bunk, 
ana  nan  oroceeded  up  the  river  as  far  as  the  tower  on  Puffin 
•  stand  ;  when  suddenly  the  steam  got  so  low  that  the  engine 
WOUIQ  not  keep  her  on  her  proper  course.  When  asked, 
why  there  was  not  steam  on,  the  fireman  said,  that  a  deal  of 


T6  THE    ROTHSAY    STEAMER. 

water  had  been  finding  its  way  into  the  vessel  all  day,  and  thai 
sometime  before  she  got  into  the  strait,  the  bilge-pumps  were 
choked.  The  water  in  the  hold  then  overflowed  the  coals  ;  so 
that,  in  renewing  the  fires,  a  deal  of  water  went  in  with  the  coals, 
and  made  it  impossible  to  keep  the  steam  up.  It  was  the 
duty  of  the  fireman  to  give  notice  of  this  occurrence  ;  but  he 
aeems  not  to  have  mentioned  it  to  the  captain.  The  vessel, 
which  had  evidently  come  fair  into  the  channel,  though  there 
was  no  liffht  on  the  coast  to  gui'cle  her,  now  drifted,  with  the 
ebb  tide  and  north-west  wind,  towards  the  Dutchman's  Bank, 
on  the  north  point  of  w^jich  she  struck,  her  bows  sticking  fast  in 
the  sand.  Lieut.  Atkinson  immediately  ordered  the  man  at 
the  helm  to  put  the  helm  a  starboard.  The  man  refused  to  do 
so  ;  but  put  it  to  port.  The  mate,  perceiving  this,  ran  aft, 
took  the  helm  from  the  man,  and  put  it  to  starboard  again. — 
In  the  meantime,  the  captain  and  some  of  the  passengers  got 
the  jib  up. — J\o  doubt  he  did  this  intending  to  wear  her  round 
and  bring  her  head  to  the  northward  ;  but  in  the  opinion  of 
nautical  men,  it  could  not  make  the  least  difference  which  way 
her  head  was  turned,  as  she  was  on  a  lee  shore,  and  there  was 
no  steam  to  work  her  off".  The  captain  also  ordered  the  pas- 
sengers first  to  run  aft,  in  the  hope,  by  removing  the  pressure 
from  the  vessel's  stem,  to  make  her  float  :  this  failing  to  pro- 
duce the  desired  effect,  he  then  ordered  them  to  run  forward. 
All  the  exertions  of  the  captain,  the  crew  and  passengers 
united  were  unavailing.  The  ill-fated  vessel  stuck  still  faster 
in  the  sands,  and  all  gave  themselves  up  for  lost.  The  terror 
of  the  passengers  became  excessive.  Several  of  them  urged 
the  captain  to  hoist  lights,  and  make  other  signals  of  distress  ; 
but  he  positively  refused  to  do  so,  assuring  the  passengers  that 
there  was  no  danger,  and  telling  them  several  times,  that  the 
packet  was  afloat,  and  doing  well,  and  on  her  way  ;  when  the 
passengers  knew  perfectly  well  that  she  was  sticking  fast  in 
the  sand,  and  her  cabins  rapidly  filling  with  water.  Doubtless 
the  unfortunate  man  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  imminence  of 
the  danger  ;  but  we  may  charitably  suppose,  thut  he  held  such 
language  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  alarm  which  might  be 
fatal.  The  alarm  bell  «vas  now  rung  with  so  much  violence 
that  the  clapper  broke,  and  some  of  the  passengers  continued 
to  strike  it  for  some  time  with  a  stone.  The  bell  was  heard, 
it  is  said,  at  Beaumaris,  but,  as  there  was  no  light  hoisted  on  ihe 
mast  of  the  steamer,  (a  fatal  neglect  !)  those  who  heard  the 
signal  were,  of  course,  ignorant  whence  it  proceeded.  Thq 


THE    ROTH8AT    STEAMER.  7 

weather,  at  this  awful  moment,  was  boisterous,  but  perfectly 
clear.  The  moon,  though  slightly  overcast,  threw  consider 
able  licht  on  the  surrounding  objects. — But  a  strong  breeze 
blew  from  the  north-west,  the  tide  began  to  set  in  with  great 
strength,  and  a  heavy  sea  beat  over  the  bank  on  which  the 
steam  packet  was  now  firmly  and  immovably  fixed. 

We  cannot  describe  the  scene  which  followed.  Certain 
death  seemed  now  to  present  itself  to  all  on  board,  and  the 
most  affecting  scenes  were  exhibited.  The  females,  in  parti- 
cular, uttered  the  most  piercing  shrieks  ;  some  locked  them- 
selves in  each  others  arms,  while  others,  losing  all  self-com- 
mand, tore  ofF  their  caps  and  bonnets,  in  the  wildness  of  de- 
spair. A  Liverpool  pilot,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  packet, 
now  raised  his  voice  and  exclaimed,  "  It  is  all  over — we  are 
all  lost  !"  At  these  words  there  was  a  universal  despairing 
shriek.  The  women  and  children  collected  in  a  knot  together, 
and  kept  embracing  each  other,  keeping  up,  all  the  time,  the 
most  dismal  lamentations.  When  tired  with  crying  they  lay 
against  each  other,  with  their  heads  reclined,  like  inanimate 
bodies.  The  steward  of  the  vessel  and  his  wife,  who  was  on 
board,  lashed  themselves  to  the  mast,  determined  to  spend 
their  last  moments  in  each  other's  arms.  Several  husbands 
and  wives  also  met  their  fate  locked  in  each  other's  arms  ; 
whilst  parents  clung  to  their  beloved  children, — several  mo- 
thers it  is  said,  having  perished  with  their  dear  little  ones 
firmly  clasped  in  their  arms.  A  party  of  the  passengers, 
about  fifteen  or  twenty,  Towered  the  boat  and  crowded  into  it. 
It  was  impossible  for  any  open  boat  to  live  in  such  a  sea,  even 
though  not  overloaded,  and  she  immediately  swamped  and 
went  to  the  bottom,  with  all  who  had  made  this  last  hopeless 
effort  for  self-preservation. 

For  some  time  the  vessel,  though  now  irrecoverably  lost, 
continued  to  resist  the  action  of  the  waves,  and  the  despair- 
ing souls  on  board  still  struggled  with  their  doom.  But  hope 
had  forever  fled  ;  the  packet  was  beaten  and  tossed  about  by 
the  tumultuous  waters  with  a  violence  which  threatened  to 
dash  her  into  fragments  at  every  shock,  and  the  sea  now 
made  a  continual  breach  over  her.  The  decks  were  repeat- 
edly sweot  by  the  boiling  ocean,  and  each  billow  snatched  its 
victims  to  a  watery  grave.  The  unfortunate  captain  and  his 
mate  were  among  the  first  that  perished.  About  thirty  or  forty 
passengers  were  standing  upon  the  poop  clinging  to  each 
other  in  hopeless  agony,  and  occasionally  uttering  the  moa 
piteous  ejaculations.  Whilst  trembling  thus  upon  the  brink 


78 


THE    DHOITS    DE     L  DOMMX 


of  destruction,  and  expecting  every  moment  to  share  the  fate 
which  had  already  overtaken  so  many  of  their  companions  in 
misery,  the  poop  was  discovered  to  give  way  ;  another  wave 
rolled  on  with  impetuous  fury,  and  the  hinder  part  of  the  luck- 
less vessel,  with  all  who  sought  safety  in  its  frail  support,  was 
burst  away  from  its  shattered  counterpart,  and  about  forty 
wretched  beings  hurried  through  the  foaming  flood  into  an 
eternal  world. 

"  Then  rose  from  sea  to  sky  the  wild  farewell, 
Then  shrieked  the  timid,  and  stood  still  the  brave." 

Those  who  retained  any  degree  of  sensibility  endeavored 
to  catch  at  whatever  was  floating  within  their  reach,  with  the 
vain  hope  of  prolonging  their  lives  though  it  was  certain  that 
life  could  only  lengthen  their  sufferings.  Many  grasped 
with  frantic  despair,  at  the  slightest  object  they  could  find, 
but  were  either  too  weak  to  retain  their  hold,  or  were  forced 
to  relinquish  their  grasp  by  the  raging  of  the  surge.  The 
rudder  was  seized  by  eight  of  the  sinking  creatures  at  the 
same  time,  and  some  of  them,  were  ultimately  preserved. 
The  number  of  those  who  clung  to  the  portion  of  the  wreck 
which  remained  upon  the  bank  gradually  grew  thinner  and 
thinner,  as  they  sunk  under  their  fatigues,  or  were  hurled 
into  the  deep  by  the  remorseless  waves.  At  length,  about  an 
hour  and  a  half  from  the  time  when  she  struck,  the  remnant 
of  the  Rothsay  Castle  disappeared  from  the  bosom  of  the 
ocean,  and  the  remainder  of  her  passengers  and  crew  were 
precipitated  into  the  foaming  abyss. 


SHIPWRECK   OF    THE    FRENCH    SHIP    DRO1T8 
DE  L'HOMME. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1797,  returning  home  on  leave  of 
absence  from  the  West  Indies,  in  the  Cumberland  letter  o! 
marque,  for  the  recovery  of  mv  health,  saw  a  large  man  of  war 
off  the  coast  of  Ireland,  being  then  within  four  leagues  of  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Shannon.  She  hoisted  English  colours, 


THE    DIUMTS    D£   L  IIOMMB  ?9 

ami  decoyed  us  within  gun-shot,  when  she  substituted  the  tri- 
coloured  flag,  and  took  us.  She  proved  to  be  les  Droits  de 
L'Homme,  of  74  guns,  commanded  by  the  ci-devant  baron, 
now  citizen  La  Crosse,  and  had  separated  from  a  fleet  of  men 
of  war,  on  board  of  which  were  twenty  thousand  troops,  in- 
tended tn  invade  Ireland.  Onboard  of  this  ship  was  (General 
Huinbert,  who  afterwards  effected  a  descent  into  Ireland  (in 
1790)  with  nine  hundred  troops  and  six  hundred  seamen. 

On  the  7th  of  January  went  into  Bantry  Buy  to  see  if  any 
of  the  squadron  was  still  there,  and  on  finding  none,  the  ship 
proceeded  to  the  southward.  Nothing  extraordinary  occurred 
until  the  evening  of  the  13th,  when  two  men  of  war  hove  in 
sight,  which  afterwards  proved  to  be  the  Indefatigable  an-d 
Amazon  frigates.  It  is  rather  remarkable  that  the  captain 
tf  the  ship  should  inform  me,  that  the  squadron  which  was 
going  to  engage  him  was  Sir  Edward  Pellow's,  and  declared, 
as  was  afterwards  proved  by  the  issue,  "that  lie  would  not 
yield  to  any  two  English  frigates,  but  would  sooner  sink 
his  ship  with  every  soul  on  board."  The  ship  was  then 
cleared  for  actio:.,  and  we  English  prisoners,  consisting  of 
three  infantry  officers,  two  captains  of  merchantmen,  two  wo- 
men, and  forty-eight  seamen  and  soldiers,  were  conducted 
down  to  the  cabin  tier  at  the  foot  of  the  fore-mast. 

The  action  began  with  opening  the  lower  deck  ports,  which, 
however  were  soon  shut  again,  on  account  of  the  great  sea, 
which  occasioned  the  water  to  rush  in  to  that  degree  that  we 
felt  it  running  on  the  cables  I  must  here  observe,  that  this 
ship  was  built  on  a  new  construction,  considerably  longer 
than  men  of  war  of  her  rate,  and  her  lower-deck,  on  whi'-h 
she  mounted  thirty-two  pounders  French,  equal  to  forty 
pounders  English,  was -two  feet  and  a  half  lower  than  usual 
The  situation  of  the  ship,  before  she  struck  on  the  rocks,  hag 
been  fully  elucidated  by  Sir  Edward  Fellow,  in  his  letter  of 
the  17th  of  January,  to  Mr.  Nepeau.  The  awful  task  is  left 
for  me  to  relate  what  ensued. 

At  about  four  in  the  morning  a  dreadful  convulsion,  at  the 
foot  of  the  fore-mast,  roused  us  from  a  state  of  anxiety  for 
our  fate,  to  the  idea  that  the  ship  was  sinking.  It  was  the 
foremast  that  foil  over  the  side;  in  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
an  awful  mandate  from  above  was  re-echoed  from  all  parts  of 
the  ship;  Pouvores  Anglais!  Pouvores  Anglais!  Montez  bieu 

vite  nous  coinmes    tous    perdus! "  poor  Englishmen!    poor 

Englishmen!  come   on   deck  as   fast  as  you   can,  we  are  al' 
lost!"     Every  one  rather  flew  than  climbed.     Though  scarce 


80  THE  DROITS  PR  L'HO.MME 

iy  able  to  injve  before,  from  sickness,  yet  I  now  felt  an  ener- 
getic strength  in  all  my  frame;  and  soon  gained  the  uppe' 
deck,  but  what  a  sight!  dead,  wounded  and  living,  intermin- 
gled in  a  state  too  shocking  to  describe;  not  a  mast  standing, 
a  dreadful  loom  of  the  land,  and  breakers  all  around  us. — 
The  Indefatigable,  on  the  starboard  quarter,  appeared  stand- 
ing off,  in  a  most  tremendous  sea,  from  the  Penmark  rocks, 
which  threatened  her  with  instant  destruction.  To  the  great 
humanity  of  her  commander,  those  few  persons  who  survived 
the  shipwreck,  are  indebted  for  their  lives,  for  had  another 
broad-side  been  fired,  the  commanding  situation  of  the  Indefat- 
igable must  have  swept  off  at  least  a  thousand  men.  On 
the  starboard  side  was  seen  the  Amazon  within  two  miles, 
just  struck  on  the  shore.  Our  own  fate  drew  near.  The 
ship  struck  and  immediately  sunk!  Shrieks  of  horror  and 
dismay  were  heard  from  ail  quarters,  while  the  m-erciiess 
waves  tore  from  the  wreck  many  early  victims.  Day-light 
appeared,  and  we  beheld  the  shore  lined  with  people  \\tio 
cojld  render  us  no  assistance.  At  low  water,  rafts  were  con- 
structed, and  the  boats  were  got  in  readiness  to  be  hoisted 
out.  The  dusk  arrived,  and  an  awful  sight  ensued.  The 
dawn  of  the  second  day  brought  with  it  still  severer  miseries 
than  the  first,  for  the  wants  of  nature  could  scarcely  be  en- 
dured any  longer,  having  been  already  near  thirty  hours 
without  any  means  of  subsistance,  and  no  possibility  of  pro- 
curing them. 

At  low  water  a  small  boat  was  hoisted  out,  and  an  English 
captain  and  eight  sailors  succeeded  in  getting  to  the  shore. — 
Elated  at  the  success  of  these  men  all  thought  their  deliver- 
ance at  hand,  and  many  launched  out  on  their  rafts,  but,  alas' 
death  soon  ended  their  hopes. 

Another  night  renewed  our  afflictions.  The  morning  of 
the  third,  fraught  with  still  greater  evils,  appeared;  our  con- 
tinued sufferings  made  us  exert  the  last  effort,  and  we  Eng- 
lish prisoners,  tried  every  means  to  save  as  many  of  our  fej- 
low  creatures  as  lay  in  our  power.  Larger  rafts  were  con- 
structed, and  the  largest  boat  was  got  over  the  side  The 
first  consideration  was  to  lay  the  surviving  wounded,  the  wo- 
men and  helpless  men  in  the  boat,  but  the  idea  of  equality, 
so  fatally  promulgated  among  the  French,  destroyed  all  subor- 
dination, and  nearly  one  hundred  and  twenty  having  jumped 
into  the  boat,  in  defiance  of  their  officers,  they  sunk  her. — 
The  most  dreadful  sea  that  I  ever  saw  seemed  at  that  moment 
to  aggravate  our  calamity;  nothing  of  the  boat  was  seen  for  a 


THK    DROIT8    DK    I/HOMME.  81 

quarter  of  an  hour,  when  the  bodies  floated  in  all  directions* 
then  appeared,  in  all  their  horrors,  the  wreck,  the  shores,  the 
dying  and  the  drowned!  Indefatigable  in  acts  of  humanity, 
an  adjutant  general,  Renier,  launched  himself  into  the  sea,  to 
obtain  succours  from  the  shore,  and  perished  in  the  attempt 

Nearly  one  half  the  people  had  already  perished,  when  the 
horrors  of  the  fourth  night  renewed  all  our  miseries.  Weak, 
distracted,  •>"<*  destitute  of  every  thing,  we  envied  the  fate  of 
those  whose  .  uless  corpses  no  longer  wanted  sustenance. — 
The  sense  of  hunger  was  already  lost,  but  a  parching  thirst 
consumed  our  vitals.  Recourse  was  had  to  urine  and  salt 
v/ater,  which  only  increased  the  wants;  half  a  hogshead  ol 
vinegar  indeed  floated  up,  of  which  each  had  half  a  wine 
glass;  ii  afforded  a  momentary  relief,  but  soon  left  us  again  in 
the  same  state  of  dreadful  thirst.  Almost  at  the  last  gasp, 
every  one  was  dying  with  misery,  and  the  ship,  now  one  third 
shattered  away  from  the  stern,  scarcely  affbred  a  grasp  to  hold 
by,  to  the  exhausted  and  helpless  survivors. 

The  fourth  day  brought  with  it  a  more  serene  sky,  and  the 
sea  seemed  to  subside,  but  to  behold,  from  fore  to  aft,  the  dy- 
ing in  all  directions,  was  a  sight  too  shocking  for  the  feeling 
mind  to  endure.  Almost  lost  to  a  sense  of  humanity,  we  no 
longer  looked  with  pity  on  those  whom  we  considered  only  as 
the  forerunners  of  our  own  speedy  fate,  and  a  consultation 
took  place,  to  sacrifice  some  one  to  be  food  for  the  remainder. 
The  die  was  going  to  be  cast,  when  the  welcome  sight  of  a 
man  of  war  brig  renewed  our  hopes. 

A  cutter  speedily  followed,  and  both  anchored  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  wreck.  They  then  sent  their  boats  to  us,  anc 
by  means  of  large  rafts,  about  one  hundred,  cut  of  four  hun- 
dred who  attempted,  were  saved  by  the  brig  that  evening. — 
Three  hundred  and  eighty  were  left  to  endure  another  night's 
misery,  when,  dreadful  to  relate,  above  one  half  were  found 
dead  the  next  morning! 

I  was  saved  about  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  18th, 
with  my  brother  officers,  the  captain  of  the  ship,  and  General 
Humbert.  They  treated  us  with  great  humanity  on  board  the 
cutter,  giving  us  a  little  weak  brandy  and  water  every  five  or 
six  minutes,  and  after  that  a  bason  of  good  soup.  I  fell  on 
the  locker  m  a  kind  of  trance  for  near  thirty  hours,  and  swel- 
led to  such  a  degree  as  to  require  medica:  aid  to  re"  ore  my 
decayed  faculties.  Having  1  j.-?t  all  our  baggage,  we  were  ta- 
ken to  Brest  almost  naked,  where  they  gave  us  a  rough  shill 
ot  clothes',  and  in  const- qu owe  of  our  sufferings,  an  •  -he  help 
VOL.  11.  4' 


£3  LOSS  OF  THE  QUKEN  CHARLOTTE. 

we  afforded  in  saving  many  lives,  a  cartel  was  fitted  out  by 
order  of  the  French  Government  to  send  us  home,  without 
ransom  or  exchange.  We  arrived  at  Plymouth  on  the  7th 
of  March  following. 

To  that  Providence,  whose  great  workings  I  have  experi- 
enced in  this  most  awful  trial  of  human  afflictions,  be  ever 
offered  the  tribute  of  my  praise  and  thanksgiving. 


THE  LOSS  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  SHIP,  QUEEN 
CHARLOTTE. 

The  Queen  Charlotte  was,  perhaps,  one  of  the  finest  ships 
in  the  British  navy.  She  was  launched  in  1790,  and  her  first 
cruise  was  with  the  f.eet  fitted  out  against  Spain,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  dispute  respecting  Nootka  Sound.  Lord  Howe, 
who  was  the  commander  and  chief  of  the  fleet,  was  then  on 
board  of  her  ;  and  she  also  bore  his  lordship's  flag  on  the  first 
of  June.  After  which  she  was  sent  to  the  Mediterranean,  i.nd 
was  the  flag-ship  of  the  commander  in  chief  on  that  station. 
In  March,  1800,  she  was  despatched  by  that  nobleman  to  re- 
connoitre the  island  of  Cabrera,  about  thirty  leagues  from 
Leghorn,  then  in  the  possession  of  the  French,  and  which  it 
was  his  lordship's  intention  to  attack.  On  the  morning  of  the 
17th  the  ship  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire,  at  the  distance  of 
three  or  four  leagues  from  Leghorn.  Every  assistance  was 
promptly  forwarded  from  the  shore,  but  a  number  of  boats,  it 
appears,  were  deterred  frcm  approaching  the  wreck,  in  con- 
seqjence  of  the  guns,  which  were  shotted,  and  which,  when 
fceated  by  the  fire,  discharged  their  contents  in  every  direction. 

The  only  consolation  that  presents  itself  under  the  pressure 
of  so  calamitous  a  disaster  is,  that  it  was  not  the  eflect  ei:hei 
of  treachery  or  wilful  neglect,  as  will  appear  by  the  following 
official  statement  of  the  carpenter  : — 

"  Mr.  John  Braid,  carpenter  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  re- 
ports, that  twenty  miniates  after  6  o'clock  in  the  morning,  as  he 


LOSS  OF  THE  QUEEX  CHARLOTTE.  85 

iras  dressing  himself  he  heard  throughout  the  ship  a  general 
cry  of '  fire.'  On  which  he  immediately  ran  up  the  after-ladder 
»o  get  upon  deck,  and  found  the  whole  half-deck,  the  front 
bulk-head  of  the  admiral's  cabin,  the  main-mast's  coat,  and 
boat's  covering  on  the  booms,  all  in  flames  ;  which,  fron. 
every  report  and  probability,  he  apprehends  was  occasioned 
by  some  hay,  which  was  lying  under  the  half-deck,  having 
been  sp.t  on  fire  by  a  match  in  a  tub,  which  was  usually  kept 
there  for  signal  guns. — The  main-sail  at  this  time  «vas  set, 
ind  almost  entirely  caught  fire  ;  the  people  not  being  able  to 
:ome  to  the  clue  garnets  en  account  of  the  flames. 

"  He  immediately  went  to  the  forecastle,  and  found  Lieut. 
Dundas  and  the  boatswain  encouraging  the  people  to  get 
water  to  extinguish  the  fire.  He  applied  to  Mr.  Dundas,  see 
ing  no  other  officer  in  the  fore-part  of  the  ship  (and  being  un- 
able to  see  any  on  the  quarter-deck,  from  the  flames  and 
smoke  between  them)  to  give  him  assistance  to  drown  the 
ower-decks,  and  secure  the  hatches,  to  prevent  the  fire  fall- 
ng  down.  Lieut.  Dundas  accordingly  went  down  himself, 
with  as  many  people  as  he  could  prevail  upon  to  follow  him  : 
and  the  lower-deck  ports  were  opened,  the  scuppers  plugged, 
-he  main  and  fore-hatches  secured,  the  cocks  turned,  and 
water  drawn  in  at  the  ports,  and  the  pumps  kept  going  by  the 
people  who  came  down,  as  long  as  they  could  stand  at  them. 

"  He  thinks  that  by  these  exertions  the  lower-deck  was 
kept  free  from  fire,  and  the  magazines  preserved  for  a  long 
time  from  danger ;  nor  did  Lieut.  Dundas,  or  he,  quit  this 
station,  but  remained  there  with  all  the  people  who  could  be 
prevailed  upon  to  stay,  till  several  of  the  middle-deck  guns 
came  through  that  deck. 

"  About  nine  o'clock  Lieut.  Dundas  and  he,  finding  it  im- 
possible to  remain  any  longer  below,  went  out  at  the  fore-mast 
lower  deck  port,  and  got  upon  the  fore-castle  ;  on  which  he 
apprehends  there  were  then  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the 
people  drawing  water,  and  throwing  it  as  far  aft  as  possible 
upon  the  fire 

"  He  continued  about  an  hour  on  the  fore-castle  ;  and  find- 
ing all  efforts  to  extinguish  the  flames  unavailing,  he  jumped 
from  the  jib-boom,  and  swam  to  an  American  boat  approach- 
ing the  ship,  by  which  he  was  picked  up  and  p'ut  into  a  Tar- 
lan  then  in  the  charge  of  Lieui.  Stewart,  who  had  come  off  to 
ae  assistance  of  the  ship. 

(Signed)  "JOHN  BRAID." 

Leghorn,  March  18,  1800. 


84  A    SCENE    IN    THE    ATLANTIC    OCEAN. 

Capt.  Todd  remained  upon  deck,  with  his  First  I  eutenant, 
to  the  last  moment,  giving  orders  for  saving  the  crew,  without 
thinking  of  his  own  safety.  Before  he  fell  a  sacrifice  to  the 
flames,  he  had  time  and  courage  to  write  down  the  particulars 
of  this  melancholy  event,  for  the  information  of  Lord  Keith, 
of  which  he  gave  copies  to  different  saiiors,  entreating  them, 
that  whoever  should  escape  might  deliver  it  to  the  admiral. 

Thus  fell  victims  to  perhaps  a  too  revere  duty,  the  captain 
and  his  first  lieutenant,  at  a  time  when  they  stili  had  it  in  their 
power  to  save  themselves  ;  but  self-preservation  is  never  a 
matter  of  consideration  in  the  exalted  mind  of  a  British  nava 
officer,  when  the  safety  of  his  crew  is  at  stake. 

Lord  Keith  and  some  of  the  officers  were  providentially  01. 
shore,  at  Leghorn,  when  the  dreadful  accident  occurred 
Twenty  commissioned  and  warrant  officers,  two  servants  and 
142  seamen,  are  the  whole  of  the  crew  that  escaped  destruction 
out  of  nearly  900  souls  onboard,  that  for  nearly  four  hours  ex- 
erted every  nerve  to  avoid  that  dreadful  termination  which  too 
lurely  awaited  them 


A  SCENE  IN  THE  ATLANTIC  OCEAN 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  August,  1833,  during  a  severe 
gale  in  lat.  46,  Ion.  31,  Capt.  Dempsey,  of  the  ship  King3tor., 
discovered  at  a  short  distance  to  leeward,  a  brig  lying  on  her 
beam  ends,  with  flag  of  distress  waving.  Capt.  D.  instantly 
bore  down  towards  her.  when  she  proved  to  be  the  Albion,  of 
Cork,  crowded  with  passengers.  Having  reached  within  hail  of 
the  unfortunate  vessel,  a  heart-rending  scene  presented  itself 
"  We  beheld,"  says  Capt.  Dempsey,  "  the  brig  reeling  ere  she 
took  the  farewell  plunge — witnessed  the  cool  intrepidity  of  the 
sailors,  even  at  such  a  moment — and  listened,  with  feelings 
the  most  harr'owing,  to  the  piercing  shrieks  of  the  ill-fate*3 
passengers.  The  crew  of  the  Kingston  flung  their  best  boal 
into  the  boiling  Atlantic,  but  every  s-xertion  was  vain — the 
angry  ocean  soon  made  her  its  prey.  The  Albior.  went  dowa 
with  every  hi  man  soul  on  board 


rKEMCH    FRIGATE     MEDUSA 


SHIPWRECK  OF  THE    FRENCH   FRIGATE 

MEDUSA, 

On  the  Wettern  Coast  of  Africa.    By  MADAME  DIED,  one  of  tJu 

Svflerers. 

In  the  year  1816,  an  expedition  was  fitted  out  by  the  French 
to  go  and  resume  possession  of  Senegal,  which  had  been  re- 
stored to  them. — My  father  was  reinstated  in  his  place  of 
resident  attorney,  and  taking  with  him  his  family  repaired 
immediately  to  Rochefort  to  embark  on  board  the  Medusa 
frigate. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  June,  we  were  on  our 
way  to  the  boats  that  were  to  convey  us  on  board  the  Medusa, 
which  was  riding  at  anchor  off  the  island  of  Aix,  distant 
about  four  leagues  from  Rochefort.  The  field  through  which 
we  passed  was  sown  with  corn.  Wishing  before  I  left  our 
beautiful  France,  to  make  my  farewell  to  the  flowers,  and, 
whilst  our  family  went  leisurely  forward  to  the  place  where 
we  were  to  embark  upon  the  ChareniC,  I  crossed  the  furrows, 
and  gathered  a  few  blue-bottles  and  poppies.  We  soon  ar- 
rived at  the  place  of  embarkation,  where  we  found  some  of 
our  tellow  passengers,  who,  like  myself,  seemed  casting  a  last 
look  to  Heaven,  whilst  they  were  yet  on  the  French  soil. — 
We  embarked,  however  and  left  these  happy  shores.  In  de- 
scending the  tortuous  course  of  the  Charente,  contrary  winds 
so  impeded  our  progress,  that  we  did  not  reach  the  Medusa 
till  the  morrow,  having  taken  twenty-four  hours  in  sailing  four 
leagues.  At  length  we  mounted  the  deck  of  the  Medusa,  of 
painful  memory.  When  we  got  on  board,  we  found  our 
berths  not  provided  for  us,  consequently  were  obliged  to  re- 
main indiscriminately  together  till  the  next  day.  Our  family, 
which  consisted  of  nine  persons,  was  placed  in  a  berth  near 
the  main  deck.  As  the  wind  was  still  contrary,  we  lay  at  an- 
chor for  seventeen  days. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  at  four  in  the  morning,  we  set  sail 


W  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEE7IA. 

*s  did  the  whole  expedition,  which  consisted  of  the  Medusa 
higate,  the  Loire  store-ship,  the  Argus  brig  and  the  Echo 
corvette.  The  wind  being  favorable,  we  soon  lost  sight  01 
the  green  fields  of  1'Aunis.  At  six  in  the  morning,  however, 
the  island  of  Rhe  still  appeared  above  the  horizon.  We  fix- 
ed our  eves  upon  it  with  regret,  to  salute  for  the  last  time  our 
dear  country.  Now,  imagine  the  ship  borne  aloft,  and  sur- 
rounded by  huge  mountains  of  water,  which  at  one  moment 
tossed  it  in  the  air,  and  at  another  plunged  it  into  the  pro- 
found abyss. 

The  waves,  raised  by  a  stormy  northwest  breeze,  came 
dashing  in  a  horrible  manner  against  the  sides  of  our  ship. — 
I  knew  not  whether  it  was  a  presentiment  of  the  misfortune 
which  menaced  us  that  had  made  me  pass  the  preceding 
night  in  the  most  cruel  inquietude.  In  my  agitation,  I  sprang 
upon  deck,  and  contemplated  with  horror  the  frigate  winging 
its  way  upon  the  waters.  The  winds  pressed  against  the  sails 
with  great  violence,  strained  and  whistled  among  the  cordage; 
and  the  great  bulk  of  wood  seemed  to  split  every  time  the 
surge  broke  upon  its  sides.  On  looking  a  little  out  to  sea  I 
perceived  at  no  great  distance  on  our  right,  all  the  other  ships 
of  the  expedition,  which  quieted  .me  very  much.  Towards 
ten  in  the  morning  the  wind  changed;  immediately  an  appal- 
ling cry  was  heard,  concerning  which  the  passengers,  as  well 
as  myself,  were  equally  ignorant.  The  whole  crew  were  in 
motion.  Some  climbed  the  rope  ladders,  and  seemed  to 
perch  on  the  extremities  of  the  yards;  others  mounted  to  the 
highest  parts  of  the  mas,t;  these  bellowing  and  pulling  the 
cordages  in  caden;e;  those  crying,  swearing,  whistling,  and 
lilling  the  air  with  barbarous  and  unknown  sounds.  The  of- 
ficer on  duty,  in  his  turn,  roaring  out  these  woids,  starboard, 
larboard,  hoist,  luff,  tack,  which  the  helmsman  repeated  in 
the  same  tone.  All  this  hubbub,  however,  produced  its  ef- 
fect; the  yards  were  turned  on  their  pivots,  the  sails  set,  the 
cordage  tightened,  and  the  unfortunate  sea-boys  having  re- 
ceived their  lesson  descended  to  the  deck.  Every  thing  re- 
mained tranquil,  except  that  the  waves  still  roared,  and  the 
masts  continued  their  creaking.  However  the  sails  were 
swelled,  the  wind  less  violent,  though  favorable,  and  the  man- 
ner, while  he  caroled  his  song,  said  we  had  a  noble  voy- 
age. 

During  several  days  we  did  indeed  enjoy  a  delightful  pae- 
gage.  All  ihe  ships  of  the  expedition  still  kept  together,  bui 
at  length  the  bree/r  became  changeable,  and  they  all  disap 


fRENCil     FKIGATF.     >IK»U*4 


oeared  The  Echo,  however,  still  kept  in  sight,  and  persist- 
ed in  accompanying  us,  as  if  to  guide  us  on  our  route.  The 
wind  becoming  more  favorable,  we  held  due  south,  sailing  at 
the  rate  of  sixty-two  leagues  a  day.  The  sea  was  so  fine, 
and  our  journey  so  rapid,  that  I  began  to  think  it  nearly  as 
agreeable  to  travel  by  sea  as  by  land;  but  my  illusion  was  not 
of  long  duration. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  at  six  in  the  morning,  we  discovered 
the  Peak  of  Tenerifle,  towards  the  south,  the  summit  of  whose 
cone  seemed  lost  in  the  clouds.  We  were  then  distant  about 
two  leagues,  which  we  made  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an 
hour.  At  ten  o'clock  we  brought  to  before  the  town  of  St. 
Croix.  Several  officers  got  leave  to  go  on  shore  to  procure 
refreshments. 

While  these  gentlemen  were  away,  a  certain  passenger, 
member  of  the  self-instituted  Philanthropic  Society  of  Cape 
Yerd,  suggested  that  it  was  very  dangerous  to  remain  where 
we  were,  adding  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try, and  had  navigated  in  all  these  latitudes.  M.  Le  Roy 
Lachaumareys,  captain  of  the  Medusa,  believing  the  pretend- 
ed knowledge  of  the  intriguing  Richefort,  gave  him  the  com- 
mand of  the  frigate.  Various  officers  of  the  navy,  represent- 
ed to  the  captain  how  shameful  it  was  to  put  such  confidence 
in  a  stranger,  and  they  would  never  obey  a  man  who  had  no 
character  as  a  commander.  The  captain  despised  these  wise 
remonstrances;  and,  using  his  authority,  commanded  the  pi- 
lots, and  all  the  crew,  to  obey  Richfort;  saying  he  was  king, 
since  the  orders  of  the  king  were,  that  they  should  obey  him. 
Immediately  the  imposter,  desirous  of  displaying  his  great 
skill  in  navigation,  made  them  change  the  route,  for  no  pur- 
pose, but  that  of  showing  his  skill  in  manoeuvring  the  ship.  — 
Every  instant  he  changed  the  tack,  went,  came  and  returned, 
and  approached  the  very  reefs,  as  if  to  brave  them;  in  short, 
he  beat  about  so  much,  that  the  sailors  at  length  refused  to 
obey  him,  saying  boldly  that  he  was  a  vile  imposter.  But  it 
was  done.  The  man  had  gained  the  confidence  of  Captain 
Lachaumareys,  who  "ignorant  of  navigation  himself,  was 
doubtless  glad  to  get  someone  to  undertake  his  daty.  But 
it  must  be  told,  that  this  blind  inept  confidence  was  the  sole 
cause  of  the  loss  of  the  Medusa  frigate,  as  well  as  all  the 
crimes  consequent  upon  it. 

Towards  three  in  the  afternoon,  those  officers  who  went  on 
•hore  in  the  morning,  returned  on  board  loaded  with  vegeta 
bles,  fruits  and  flowers.  They  laughed  heartily  at  the  ma 


90  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

nrauvrcs  that  had  been  going  on  during  their  absence,  whicX 
doubtless  did  not  please  the  captain,  who  flattered  himself 
he  had  already  found  in  his  pilot  Richefort,  a  good  and  able 
seaman;  such  were  his  words. 

At  four  in  the  afternoon  we  took  a  southerly  direction  M. 
Richefort,  then  beaming  with  exultation  for  having,  as  he 
said,  saved  the  Medusa  from  certain  shipwreck,  continued  Lo 
give  his  pernicious  counsels  to  the  captain,  persuading  him  he 
hau  been  often  employed  to  explore  the  shores  of  Africa,  and 
that  he  was  perfectly  well  acquainted  with  the  Arguin  Bank. 
The  journals  of  the  29th  and  30th  afford  nothing  very  remarka- 
able. 

The  hot  winds  from  the  desert  of  Sahara  began  to  be  felt, 
"which  told  us  we  approached  the  tropic;  indeed,  the  sun  at 
noon  seemed  suspended  perpendicularly  above  our  heads,  a 
phenomenon  which  few  among  us  had  ever  seen. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  we  recognised  Cape  Bojador,  and  then 
saw  theshores-of  Sahara.  Towards  ten  in  the  morning,  they 
set  about  the  frivolous  ceremony  which  the  sailors  have  in- 
vented for  the  purpose  of  exacting  something  from  those  pas- 
sengers who  have  never  crossed  the  Iin6.  During  the  cere- 
mony, the  frigate  doubled  Cape  Barbas  hastening  to  its  de- 
struction. Captain  Lachaumareys  very  good  humoredly  pre- 
sided at  this  species  of  baptism,  while  his  dear  Kichfort  prome- 
naded the  forcastle,  and  looked  with  indifference  upon  H 
shore  bristling  with  dangers.  However  that  may  be,  all  pass- 
ed on  well;  nay,  it  may  even  be  said  that  the  farce  was  well 
playfd  off.  But  the  route  which  we  pursued  soon  made  us 
forpet  the  short  lived  happiness  we  had  experienced.  Every 
rne  began  to  observe  the  sudden  change  which  had  taken 
place  In  the  color  of  the  sea,  as  we  ran  upon  the  bank  in  shal- 
low water.  A  general  murmur  arose  among  the  passengers 
and  officers  of  the  navy; — they  were  far  from  partaking  in  the 
blind  confidence  of  the  captain. 

On  the  second  of  July,  at  five  in  the  morning,  the  captain 
was  peisuaded  that  a  large  cloud,  which  was  discovered  in 
the  direction  of  Cape  Blanco,  was  tTfat  Cape  itself.  After 
this  pretended  discovery,  they  ought  to  have  steered  to  the 
west,  for  about  fifty  leagues,  to  have  gained  sea  room  to 
double  with  certainty  the  Arguin  Bank;  moreover,  they  ought 
to  have  conformed  to  the  instructions  the  Minister  of  Marine 
had  given  to  the  ships  which  set  out  for  Senegal.  The  other 
part  of  the  expedition,  from  having  followed  these  instructions 
•••rived  in  safety  at  their  destination.  During  the  preceding 


FRENCH   FRIGATE    MEDUIA  9 

night,  the  Echo,  which  had  hitherto  accompanied  the  Medu- 
sa, made  several  signals,  but  being  replied  to  with  contempt, 
abandoned  us.  Towards  ten  in  the  morning,  the  dange* 
which  threatened  us  was  again  represented  to  the  captain, 
and  he  was  strongly  urged,  if  he  wished  to  avoid  the  Arg^in 
Bank,  to  take  a  westerly  course;  but  the  advice  was  again 
neglected,  and  he  despised  the  predictions.  One  of  the  offi- 
cers of  the  frigate,  from  having  wished  to  expose  the  intrigu- 
ing Richefort,  was  put  under  arrest.  My  father,  who  had  al- 
ready twice  made  he  voyage  to  Senegal,  and  who  with  va- 
rious persons  was  persuaded  they  were  going  right  upon  the 
bank,  also  made  his  observations  to  the  unfortunate  pilot. — 
His  advice  was  no  better  received  than  those  of  Messrs  Rey- 
naud,  Espiau,  Maudet,  &c.  Richefort,  in  the  sweetest  tone, 
replied,  '  My  dear,  we  know  our  business;  attend  to  yours, 
and  be  quiet.  I  have  already  twice  passed  the  Arguin  Bank ;  I 
have  sailed  upon  the  Red  Sea,  and  you  see  I  am  not  drowned.' 
Wl.at  reply  could  be  made  to  such  a  preposterous  speech? 
My  father,  seeing  it  was  impossible  to  get  our  route  changed, 
resolved  to  trust  to  Providence  fo  free  us  from  our  danger, 
and  descended  to  our  cabin,  where  he  sought  to  dissipate  bis 
fears  in  the  oblivion  of  sleep. 

At  noon  on  the  2d  of  July,  soundings  were  taken.  M. 
Maudet,  ensign  of  the  watch,  was  convinced  we  were  upon 
the  edge  of  the  Arguin  Bank.  The  captain  said  to  him,  as 
well  as  to  every  one,  that  there  was  no  cause  of  alarm.  In 
the  meanwhile,  the  wind  blowing  with  great  violence,  impel- 
led us  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  danger  which  menaced  us. — 
A  species  of  stupor  overpowered  all  our  spirits,  and  every 
one  preserved  a  mournful  silence,  as  if  they  were  persuaded 
Wfe  would  soon  touch  the  bank.  The  color  of  the  water  en- 
tirely changed,  a  circumstance  even  remarked  by  the  ladies. 
About  three  in  the  afternoon,  being  in  19  30  north  latitude, 
and  19  45  west  longitude,  an  universal  cry  was  heard  upon 
deck  All  declared  they  saw  sand  rolling  among  the  ripple 
of  the  sea.  The  captain  in  an  instant  ordered  to  sound. — 
The  line  gave  eighteen  fathoms;  but  on  a  second  sounding  it 
only  gave  six.  He  at  last  saw  his  error,  and  hesitated  no 
longer  on  changing  the  route,  but  it  was  too  late.  A  strong 
concussion  told  us  the  frigate  had  struck.  Terror  and  con 
sternation  were  instantly  depicted  on  every  face.  The  crew 
stood  motionless;  the  passengers  in  utter  despair.  In  the 
midst  of  this  general  panic,  cries  of  vengeance  were  heard 
against  the  principal  author  of  our  misfortunes,  wishing  to 


92  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

throw  him  overboard;  but  some  generous  persons  interposed, 
and  endeavored  to  calm  their  spirits,  by  diverting  their  atten- 
tion to  the  means  of  our  safety.  The  confusion  was  already 
BO  great,  that  McPoinsignon,  commandant  of  a  troop,  struck 
my  sister  Caroline  a  severe  blow,  doubtless  thinking  it  was 
one  of  his  soldiers.  At  this  crisis  my  father  was  buried  in 
profound  sleep,  but  he  quickly  awoke,  the  cries  and  the  tu- 
mult upon  deck  having  informed  him  of  our  misfortunes.  He 
poured  out  a  thousand  reproaches  on  those  whose  ignorance 
arid  boasting  had  been  so  disastrous  to  us.  However,  they 
set  about  the  means  of  averting  our  danger.  The  officers, 
with  an  altered  voice,  issued  their  orders  expecting  every  mo- 
ment to  see  the  ship  go  in  pieces.  They  strove  to  lighten  her, 
but  the  sea  was  very  rough  and  the  current  strong.  Much 
time  was  lost  in  doing  nothing;  they  only  pursued  half  mea- 
sures and  all  of  them  unfortunately  failed. 

IVLen  it  was  discovered  that  the  danger  of  the  Medusa  was 
not  so  great  as  was  at  first  supposed,  various  persons  propos- 
ed to  transport  the  troops  to  the  island  of  Arguin,  which  was 
conjectured  to  be  not  far  from  the  place  where  we  lay 
aground.  Others  advised  to  take  us  all  successively  to  the 
coast  of  the  desert  of  Sahara,  by  the  means  of  our  boats,  and 
with  provisions  sufficient  to  form  a  caiavan,  to  reach  the  island 
of  Saint  Louis,  at  Senegal.  The  events  which  afterwards 
ensued  proved  this  plan  to  have  been  the  best,  and  which 
would  have  been  crowned  with  success;  unfortunately  it  was 
not  adopted.  M.  Schmaltz,  the  governor,  suggested  the 
making  of  a  raft  of  sufficient  size  to  carry  two  hundred  men, 
with  provisions;  which  latter  plan  was  seconded  by  the  two 
officers  of  the  frigate,  and  put  in  execution. 

The  fatal  rail  was  then  begun  to  be  constructed,  whica 
would,  they  said,  carry  provisions  for  every  one.  Masts, 
planks,  boards  and  cordage  were  thrown  overboard.  Two 
officers  were  charged  with  the  framing  of  these  together. — 
Large  barrels  were  emptied  and  placed  at  the  angles  of  the 
machine,  and  the  workmen  were  taught  to  say,  that  the  pas- 
sengers would  be  in  greater  security  there,  and  more  at  their 
ease,  than  in  the  boats.  However,  it  was  forgotten  to  erect 
rails,  every  one  supposed,  and  with  reason,  that  those  who 
had  given  the  plan  of  the  raft,  had  had  no  design  of  embark- 
ing up;jn  it  themselves. 

When  it  was  completed,  the  two  chief  officers  of  the  frig- 
ate publicly  promised,  that  all  the  boats  would  tow  it  to  the 
shore  of  the  Desert ;  and,  when  there,  stores  of  provi- 


r BENCH    JTKIOATE    MEDUSA  93 

gions  and  fire-arms  would  be  given  us  to  form  a  caravan  to 
*ake  us  all  to  Senegal.  Why  was  not  this  plan  executed? — 
Why  wjre  these  promises,  sworn  before  the  French  ling, 
made  in  vain?  But  it  is  necessary  to  draw  a  veil  ove»  the  past. 
I  will  only  add,  that  if  these  promises  had  been  fulfilled,  eve- 
ry one  would  have  been  saved,  and  that,  in  spite  of  the  de- 
testable egotism  of  certain  personages,  humanity  would  not 
now  have  had  to  deplore  th/$  scenes  of  horror  consequent  on 
the  wreck  of  the  Medusa. 

On  the  3d  of  July,  the  efforts  were  renewed  to  disengage 
the  frigate,  but  without  success.  We  then  prepared  to  quit 
her.  The  sea  became  very  rough,  and  the  wind  blew  with 
great  violence.  Nothing  now  was  heard  but  the  plaintive 
and  confused  cries  of  a  multitude,  consisting  of  more  than 
four  hundred  persons,  who,  seeing  death  before  their  eyes, 
deplored  their  hard  fate  in  bitter  lamentations. 

On  the  4th,  there  was  a  glimpse  of  hope.  At  the  hour  the 
tide  flowed,  the  frigate,  being  considerably  lightened  by  all 
that  had  been  thrown  overboard,  was  found  nearly  afloat;  and 
it  is  very  certain,  if  on  that  day  they  had  thrown  the  artillery 
into  the  water,  the  Medusa  would  have  been  saved;  but  M. 
Lachaumareys  said,  he  would  not  thus  sacrifice  the  king's 
cannon,  as  if  the  frigate  did  not  belong  to  the  king  also. — 
However,  the  sea  ebbed,  and  the  ship  sinking  into  the  sand 
deeper  than  ever,  made  them  relinquish  that  on  which  depend- 
ed our  last  ray  of  hope. 

On  the  approach  of  night,  the  fury  of  the  winds  redoubled, 
and  the  sea  became  very  rough.  The  frigate  then  received 
some  tremendous  concussions,  and  the  water  rushed  into  the 
hold  in  the  most  terrific  manner,  but  the  pumps  would  not 
work.  We  had  now  no  alternative  but  to  abandon  her  foi 
the  frail  boats,  which  any  single  wave  might  overwhelm. — 
Frightful  gulfs  environed  us;  mountains  of  water  raised  their 
liquid  summits  in  the  distance.  How  were  we  to  escape  so 
many  dangers?  Whither  could  we  go?  What  hospitable 
land  would  receive  us  on  its  shores?  My  thoughts  then  re- 
verted to  our  beloved  country.  Then  starting  suddenly  from 
my  reverie,  I  exclaimed:  'O  terrible  condition!  that  black  and 
boundless  sea  resembles  the  eternal  night  which  will  engulf 
us!  All  those  who  surround  me  seem  yet  tranquil,  but  that 
fatal  calm  will  soon  be  succeeded  by  the  most  frightful  tor 
ments.  Fools,  what  had  we  to  find  in  Senegal,  to  make  us 
trust  to  the  most  perfidious  of  elements!  Did  France  not  af- 
ford every  necessary  for  our  happiness?  Happy!  yes,  thrica 


94  FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUSA. 

a.appy,  they  who  never  set  foot  on  a  foreign  soil!  Greal 
God !  succor  all  these  unfortunate  beings;  save  our  unhappy 
family!' 

My  father  perceived  my  distress,  but  how  could  he  console 
me?  What  words  cou'.d  calm  my  fears,  and  place  me  above 
the  apprehensions  of  those  dangers  to  which  we  were  expos- 
ed? How,  in  a  word,  could  I  assume  a  serene  appearance, 
when  friends,  parents  and  all  that  was  most  dear  to  me  were, 
in  all  human  probability,  on  the  very  verge  of  destruction? — 
Alas!  my  fears  were  but  too  well  founded.  For  I  soon  per- 
ceived that,  although  we  were  the  only  ladies,  besides  the 
Misses  Schmaltz,  who  formed  a  part  of  the  Governor's  suit, 
they  had  the  barbarity  of  intending  our  family  to  embark  up- 
on the  raft,  where  were  only  soldiers  sailors  and  planters  of 
Cape  Verd,  and  some  generous  officers  who  had  not  the  hon- 
or (if  it  could  be  accounted  one)  of  being  considered  among 
the  ignorant  confidants  of  MM.  Schmaltz  and  Lachaumareys. 
My  father,  indignant  at  a  proceeding  so  indecorous,  swore 
we  would  not  embark  upon  the  raft,  and  that,  if  we  were 
no*  judged  worthy  of  a  place  in  one  of  the  six  boats,  he  would 
himself,  his  wife  and  children,  remain  on  board  the  wreck 
of  the  frigate.  The  tone  in  which  he  spoke  these  words,  was 
that  of  a  man  resolute  to  avenge  any  insult  that  might  be  of- 
fered to  him.  The  governor  of  Senegal,  doubtless  fearing 
the  world  would  one  day  reproach  him  for  his  inhumanity,  de- 
cided we  should  have  a  place  in  one  of  the  boats.  This  hav- 
ing in  some  measure  quieted  our  fears  concerning  our  unfor- 
tunate situation,  I  was  desirous  of  taking  some  repose,  but 
the  uproar  among  the  crew  was  so  great  1  could  not  obtain  it. 

Towards  midnight,  a  passenger  came  to  inquire  of  my 
father  if  we  were  disposed  to  depart;  he  replied,  we  had  been 
forbid  to  go  yet.  However,  we  were  soon  convinced  that  a 
great  part  of  the  crew  and  various  passengers  were  secretly 
preparing  to  set  ofi'  in  the  boats.  A  conduct  so  perfidious 
could  not  fail  to  alarm  us,  especially  as  we  perceived  among 
those  so  eager  to  embark  unknown  to  us,  several  who  had 
promised,  but  a  little  while  before,  not  to  go  without  us. 

M.  Schmaltz,  to  prevent  that  which  was  going  on  upon 
deck,  instantly  rose  to  endeavor  to  quiet  their  minds;  but  the 
soldiers  had  already  assumed  a  threatening  attitude,  and 
holding  cheap  the  words  of  their  commander,  swore  they 
would  fire  upon  whosoever  attempted  to  depart  in  a  clandes- 
tine manner.  The  firmness  of  these  brave  men  produced  the 
desired  efFcct.  and  all  was  restored  to  order.  The  governor 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  95 

returnea  to  nis  cabin;  and  those  who  were  desirous  of  depart- 
ing furtively  were  confused  and  covered  with  shame.  The 
governor,  however,  was  ill  at  ease;  and  as  he  had  heard 
very  distinctly  certain  energetic  words  which  had  been  ad- 
dressed to  him,  he  judged  it  proper  to  assemble  a  council. — 
All  the  officers  and  passengers  being  collected,  M.  Schmaltz, 
there  solemnly  swore  before  them  not  to  abandon  the  raft,  and 
a  second  time  promised  that  all  the  boats  would  tow  it  to  the 
shore  of  the  Desert,  where  they  world  all  be  formed  into  a 
caravan.  I  confess  this  conduct  of  the  governor  greatly  sat- 
isfied every  member  of  our  family;  for  we  never  dreamed  he 
would  deceive  us,  nor  act  in  a  manner  contrary  to  what  he 
had  promised 

About  three  in  the  morning,  some  hours  after  the  meeting 
of.the  council,  a  terrible  noise  was  heard  in  the  powder  room  ; 
it  was  the  helm  which  was  broken.  All  who  were  sleeping 
were  roused  by  it.  On  going  on  deck  every  one  was  more 
more  convinced  that  the  frigate  was  lost  beyond  all  re- 
c>  .  -  /.  Alas  !  the  wreck  was  for  our  family  but  the  com- 
mencement of  a  horrible  series  of  misfortunes.  The  two 
chief  officers  then  decided  with  one  accord,  that  all  should  em- 
bark at  six  in  the  morning,  and  abandon  the  ship  to  the  mercy 
of  the  waves.  After  the  decision,  followed  a  scene  the  most 
whimsical,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  melancholy  that  can  be 
well  conceived.  To  have  a  more  distinct  idea  of  it,  let  the 
reader  transport  himself  in  imagination  to  the  midst  of  the  li- 
quid plains  of  the  ocean  :  then  let  him  picture  to  himself  a  mul- 
titude of  all  classes,  of  every  age,  tossed  about  at  the  mercy  of 
the  waves  upon  a  dismasted  vessel,  foundered,  and  half  submer- 
ged, !ci  him  not  forget  these  are  thinking  beings  with  the  cer- 
tain prospect  before  them  of  having  reached  the  goal  of  ths't: 
existence. 

Separated  from  the  rest  of  the  world  by  a  boundless  sea, 
and  having  no  place  of  refuge  but  the  wreck  of  a  grounded 
vessel,  the  multitude  addressed  at  first  their  vows  to  heaven, 
and  forgot,  for  a  moment,  all  earthly  concerns.  Then  sud- 
denly starting  from  their  lethargy,  they  began  to  look  after 
their  wealth,  the  merchandise  .they  had  in  small  ventures, 
utterly  regardless  of  the  elements  which  threatened  them. 
The  miser,  thinking  of  the  gold  contained  in  his  colFers,  hast 
ening  to  put  it  in  a  place  of  safety,  either  by  sewing  it  into  the 
lining  of  his  clothes,  or  by  cutting  out  for  it  a  place  in  the 
waistband  of  his  trowsers.  The  smuggler  was  tearing  his  hair 
»t  not  being  able  to  save  a  chest  of  contraband  which  he  had 


96  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

Bccretly  got  on  board,  and  with  which  he  had  hoped  to  have 
gained  two  or  three  hundred  per  cent.  Another,  selfish  to 
excess,  was  throwing  overboard  all  his  hidden  money,  and 
amusing  himself  by  burning  all  his  effects.  A  generous  officer 
wis  opening  his  portmanteau,  offering  caps,  stockings,  and 
shirts,  to  any  who  would  take  them.  These  had  scarcely 
gathered  together  their  various  effects,  when  they  learned  that 
they  could  not  take  anything  with  them  ;  those  were  search- 
ing the  cabin  and  store-rooms  to  carry  away  everything  that 
was  valuable  Ship-boys  were  discovering  the  delicate  wines 
and  fine  liquors,  which  a  wise  foresight  had  placed  in  reserve 
Soldiers  and  sailors  were  penetrating  even  into  the  spirit-room, 
broaching  casks,  staving  others  and  drinking  till  they  fell  ex- 
hausted. Soon  the  tumult  of  the  inebriated  made  us  forget 
the  roaring  of  the  sea  which  threatened  to  engulf  us.  At  last 
the  uproa.  was  at  its  height ;  the  soldiers  no  longer  listened  to 
the  voice  of  the  captain.  Some  knit  their  brows  and  muttered 
oaths ;  but  nothing  could  be  done  with  those  whom  wine  had 
rendered  furious.  Next,  piercing  cries  mixed  with  doleful 
groans  weie  heard — this  was  the  signal  of  departure. 

At  six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  a  great  part  of  the 
military  were  embarked  upon  the  raft,  which  was  already 
covered  with  a  large  sheet  of  foam.  The  soldiers  were  ex- 
pressly prohibited  from  taking  their  arms.  A  young  officer  of 
infantry,  whose  brain  seemed  to  be  powerfully  affected,  put  his 
horse  beside  the  barricadoes  of  the  frigate,  and  then,  armed 
with  two  pistols,  threatened  to  fire  upon  any  one  who  refused 
to  go  upon  the  raft.  Forty  men  had  scarcely  descended  when 
it  sunk  to  the  depth  of  about  two  feet.  To  facilitate  the  em- 
barking of  a  greater  number,  they  were  obliged  to  thrcv  over 
several  barrels  of  provisions  which  had  been  placed  upon  it 
the  day  before.  In  this  manner  did  this  furious  officer  get 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  heaped  upon  that  floating  tomb  ; 
out  he  did  not  think  of  adding  one  more  to  the  number  by  de- 
scending himself,  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  but  went  peace- 
ably away,  and  placed  himself  in  one  of  tha  best  boats.  There 
should  have  been  sixty  sailors  upon  the  raft,  and  there  were  but 
about  ten.  A  list  had  been  made  out  on  the  4th,  assigning 
each  his  proper  place  :  but  this  wise  precaution  being  disre- 
garded, every  one  pursued  the  plan  he  deemed  the  best  for  bis 
own  preservation.  The  precipitation  with  which  they  forced 
one  hundred  and  fifty  unfortunate  beings  upon  the  raft  was 
such,  that  they  forgot  to  give  them  one  morsel  of  biscuit. 
However,  they  threw  towards  thr-m  twenty-five  pounds  ':n  a 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  91 

•ark,  while  they  were  not  far  from  the  frigate  ;  bat  it  ffcil  into 
the  sea,  and  was  with  difficulty  recovered. 

During  this  disaster,  the  governor  of  Senegal,  who  was 
busied  in  the  care  of  his  own  dear  self,  effeminately  descend- 
ed in  an  arm-chair  into  the  barge,  where  were  already  various 
'arge  chests,  all  kinds  of  provisions,  his  dearest  friends,  his 
daughters  and  his  wife.  Afterwards  the  captain's  boat  re- 
ceived twenty-seven  persons,  among  whom  were  twenty-five 
sailors,  good  rowers.  The  shallop,  con:manded  by  M.  Espiau, 
ensign  of  the  ship,  took  forty-five  passengers,  and  put  off. 
The  boat,  called  the  Senegal,  took  twenty-five  ;  the  pinnace 
thirty-three  ;  and  the  yawl,  the  smallest  of  all  the  boats,  took 
only  ten. 

Almost  all  the  officers,  the  passengers,  the  mariners  and  su- 
pernumeraries, were  already  embarked — all,  but  our  weeping 
family,  who  still  remained  upon  the  boards  of  the  frigate,  till 
some  charitable  souls  would  kindly  receive  us  into  a  boat. 
Surprised  at  this  abandonment,  I  instantly  felt  myself  roused, 
and,  calling  with  all  my  might  to  the  officers  of  the  boats,  be- 
sought them  to  take  our  unhappy  family  along  with  them. 
Soon  after,  the  barge,  in  which  were  the  governor  of  Senegal 
and  all  his  family,  approached  the  Medusa,  as  if  still  to  take 
some  passengers,  for  there  were  but  few  in  it.  I  made  a  mo- 
tion to  descend,  hoping  that  the  Misses  Schmaltz,  who  had, 
till  that  day,  taken  a  great  interest  in  our  family,  would  allow 
us  a  place  in  their  boat ;  but  I  was  mistaken  :  those  ladies, 
who  had  embarked  in  a  mysterious  incognito,  had  already  for- 
gotten us  ;  and  M.  Lachaumareys,  who  was  still  on  the  fri- 
gate, positively  told  me  they  would  not  embark  along  with  us. 
Nevertheless  I  ought  to  tell,  what  we  learned  afterwards,  that 
the  officer  who  commanded  the  pinnace  had  received  orders 
to  take  us  in,  but,  as  he  was  already  a  great  way  from  the  fri- 
gate, we  were  certain  he  had  abandoned  us.  My  father  how- 
ever hailed  him,  but  he  persisted  on  his  way  to  gain  the  open 
sea.  A.  short  while  afterwards  we  perceived  a  small  boat 
among  the  waves,  which  seemed  desirous  to  approach  the 
Medusa  ;  it  was  the  yawl.  When  it  was  sufficiently  near, 
my  father  implored  the  sailors  who  were  in  it  to  take  us  on 
board,  and  to  carry  us  to  the  pinnace,  where  our  family  ought 
to  be  placed.  They  refused.  He  then  seized  a  firelock, 
which  lay  by  chance  upon  deck,  and  swore  he  would  kill 
every  one  of  them  if  they  refused  to  take  us,  adding  that  it 
was  the  property  of  the  king,  and  that  he  would  lave  advan- 
tage from  it  as  well  as  another.  The  sailors  murmured,,  but 

VOL.    II.  5 


98  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MKDUBA. 

durst  not  resist,  and  received  all  our  family,  which  consisted 
of  nine  persons,  viz.  four  children,  our  stepmother,  my  cous- 
in, my  sister  Caroline,  my  father  and  myself.  A  small  box* 
filled  with  valuable  papers,  which  we  wished  to  save,  some 
clothes,  two  bottles  of  ratafia,  which  we  had  endeavored  to 
preserve  amidst  our  misfortunes,  were  seized  and  thrown 
overboard  by  the  sailors  of  the  yawl,  who  told  us  we  would 
find  in  the  pinnace  everything  we  could  wish  for  our  voyage. 
We  had  then  only  the  clothes  which  covered  us,  never  think 
ing  of  dressing  ourselves  in  two  suits;  but  the  loss  which  af- 
fected us  most  was  that  of  several  MSS,  at  which  my  father 
had  been  laboring  for  a  long  while.  Our  trunks,  our  linen 
arid  various  chests  of  merchandize  of  great  value,  in  a  word, 
everything  we  possessed,  was  left  in  the  Medusa.  When  we 
boarded  the  pinnace,  the  officer  who  commanded  it  began  ex- 
cusing himself  for  having  sot  off  without  forewarning  us,  as 
he  had  been  ordered,  and  said  a  thousand  things  in  his  justifi- 
cation. But  without  believing  the  half  of  his  tine  protestations, 
we  felt  very  happy  in  having  overtaken  him;  for  it  is  most 
certain  they  had  no  intention  of  encumbering  themselves  with 
our  unfortunate  family.  I  say  encumber,  for  it  is  evident 
that  four  children,  one  of  whom  was  yet  at  the  breast, 
were  very  indifferent  beings  to  people  who  were  actuated  by 
a  selfishness  without  all  parallel.  When  we  were,  seated  in 
the  long  boat,  my  father  dismissed  the  sailors  with  the 
yawl,  telling  them  he  would  ever  gratefully  remember  their 
services.  They  speedily  departed,  but  little  satisfied  with  the 
good  action  they  had  done.  My  father  hearing  their  murmurs 
and  the  abuse  they  poured  out  against  us,  said,  loud  enough 
for  all  in  the  boat  to  hear,  '  We  are  not  surprised  sailors  are 
destitute  of  shame,  when  their  officers  blush  at  being  compel- 
led to  do  a  good  action.'  The  commandant  of  the  boat  feign- 
ed not  to  understand  the  reproaches  conveyed  in  these  words, 
and,  to  divert  our  minds  from  brooding  over  our  wrongs,  en- 
deavored to  counterfeit  the  man  of  gallantry. 

All  the  boats  were  already  far  from  the  Medusa,  when  they 
were  brought  to,  to  form  a  chain  in  order  to  tow  the  raft.— 
The  barge,  in  which  was  the  governor  of  Senegal,  took  the 
first  tow,  then  all  the  other  boats  in  succession  joined  them- 
aelves  to  that.  M.  Lachaumareys  embarked,  although  there 
yet  remained  upon  the  Medusa  mare  than  sixty  persons.— 
Then  the  brave  and  generous  M-  Espiau,  commander  of  the 
shallop,  quitted  the  line  of  boats,  and  returned  to  the  rV'gate, 
with  the  intention  of  saving  all  the  wretches  who  had  been 


FRENCH   FRIGATE   MEDUSA.  99 


abandoned.  They  all  sprung  into  the  shallop;  but  a-s  it 
verv  much  overloaded,  seventeen  unfortunates  preferred  re- 
maining on  board,  rather  than  ex-pose  themselves  as  well  as 
their  companions  to  certain  death.  But  alas!  the  greater 
part  afterwards  fell  victims  to  their  fears  or  their  devotion.  — 
Fifly-two  days  after  they  were  abandoned,  no  more  than  three 
of  them  were  alive,  and  those  looked  more  like  skeletons  than 
men.  They  told  that  their  miserable  companions  had  gone 
afloat  upon  planks  and  hen-coops,  alter  having  waited  in  vain 
forty-two  days,  for  the  succor  which  had  been  promised  them, 
and  that  all  had  perished.  . 

The  shallop,  carrying  with  difficulty  all  those  she  had  saved 
from  the  Medusa,  slowly  rejoined  the  line  of  boats  whjch  tow- 
ed the  raft,  M.  Kspiau  earnestly  besought  the  officers  of  the 
other  boats  to  take  some  of  them  along  with  them;  but  they 
refused,  alleging  to  the  generous  officer  that  he  ought  to  keep 
thenr  in  his  own  boat,  as  he  had  gone  for  them  himself.  M. 
Kspiau,  finding  it  impossible  to  keep  them  all  without  expos- 
ing them  to  the  utmost  peril,  steered  right  for  a  boat  which  I 
will  not  name.  Immediately  a  sailor  sprung  from  the  shallop 
into  the  sea,  and  endeavored  to  reach  it  by  swimming;  and 
when  he  was  about  to  enter  it,  an  officer  who  possessed  great 
influence  pushed  him  back,  and,  drawing  his  sabre,  threaten- 
ed to  cut  off  his  hands,  if  he  again  made  the  attempt.  The 
poor  wretch  regained  the  shallop,  which  was  very  near  the  pin- 
nace, which  we  were  in,  my  father  supplicated  M.  I  aperere, 
the  officer  of  the  boat,  to  receive  him  on  board,  and  had  his 
arms  already  out  to  catch  him,  when  M.  Laperere  instantly  let 
go  the  rope  which  attached  us  to  the  other  boats,  and  tugged 
off  with  all  his  force.  At  the  same  instant  every  boat  imitated 
our  execrable  example;  and  wishing  to  shun  the  approach  of 
the  shallop,  which  sought  for  assistance,  stood  oil'  from  the 
rail,  abandoning,  in  the  midst  of  the  ocean,  and  to  the  fury  of 
the  waves,  the  miserable  mortals  whom  they  had  sworn  to 
land  on  the  shores  of  the  Desert. 

Scarcely  had  these  cowards  broken  their  oath,  when  we 
saw  the  French  flag  flying  upon  the  raft-.  The  confidence  of 
those  unfortunate  persons  was  so  great,  that  when  they  saw  the 
first  boat  which  had  the  tow  removing  from  them,  they  ail  cried 
out  the  rope  is  broken!  the  rope  is  broken!  but  when  no  at- 
tention was  paid  to  their  observation,  they  instantly  perceived 
the  treachery  of  the  wretches  who  had  left  them  so  basely.  — 
Then  the  cries  of  Vive  Ic  Roi  arose  from  the  raft,  as  il'  the 
poor  fellows  were  calling  to  their  father  for  assistance:  o.,  a< 


00  FRENCH  FRIGATE  MEDUSA 

if  they  had  been  persuaded  that,  at  that  rallying  word,  the  of- 
ficers of  the  boats  would  return,  and  not  abandon  their  coun- 
trymen. The  officers  repeated  the  cry  of  Vive  le  Roi,  with- 
out a  doubt,  to  insult  them;  but,  more  particularly,  M.  Lach- 
aumareys  who,  assuming  a  martial  attitude,  waved  his  hat  in  the 
air.  Alas!  what  availed  these  false  professions?  Frenchmen, 
menaced  with  the  greatest  peril,  were  demanding  assistance 
with  the  cries  of  Vive  le  Roi;  yet  none  were  found  sufficient- 
ly generous  nor  sufficiently  French,  to  go  to  aid  them.  After 
a  silence  of  some  minutes,  horrible  cries  we,re  heard;  the  air 
resounded  with  the  groans,  the  lamentations,  the  imprecations 
of  these  wretched  beings,  and  the  echo  of  the  sea  frequently 
repeated^alas!  how  cruel  you  are  to  abandon  us!!!  The  raft 
already  appeared  to  be  buried  under  the  waves,  and  its  un- 
fortunate passengers  immersed.  The  fatal  machine  was  drill- 
ed by  currents  far  behind  the  wreck  of  the  frigate;  without 
cable,  anchor,  mast,  sail  or  oars;  in  a  word,  without  the  srnal- 
est  means  of  enabling  them  to  save  themselves.  Each  wave 
that  struck  it,  made  them  stumbie  in  heaps  on  one  another. — 
Their  feet  getting  entangled  among  the  cordage,  and  between 
the  planks,  bereaved  them  of  the  faculty  of  moving.  Mad- 
dened by  these  misfortunes,  suspended,  and  adrift  upon  a 
merciless  ocean,  they  were  soon  tortured  between  the  pieces 
of  wood  which  formed  the  scaffold  on  which  they  floated. — 
The  bones  of  their  feet  and  their  legs  were  bruised  and  brok- 
en, every  time  the  fury  of  the  waves  agitated  the  raft;  their 
flesh  covered  with  contusions  and  hideous  wounds,  dissolved, 
as  it  were,  in  the  briny  waves,  while  the  roaring  flood  around 
them  was  colored  with  their  blood. 

As  the  raft,  when  it  was  abandoned,  was  nearly  two  leagues 
from  the  frigate,  it  \vb.a  impossible  these  unfortunate  persons 
could  return  to  il;  they  were  soon  after  far  out  to  sea.  These 
victims  still  appeared  above  their  floating  tomb;  and,  stretch- 
ing out  their  supplicating  hands  towards  the  boats  which  fled 
from  them,  seemed  yet  to  invoke,  for  the  last  time,  the  names 
of  the  wretches  who  had  deceived  them.  O  horrid  day!  a  day 
of  shame  and  reproach!  Alas!  that  the  hearts  of  those  who 
were  so  well  acquainted  with  misfortune,  should  have  been  so 
inaccessible  to  pity. 

After  witnessing  that  most  inhuman  scene,  and  seeing  they 
were  insensible  to  the  cries  and  lamentations  of  so  many  un- 
happy beings,  I  felt  my  heart  bursting  with  sorrow.  It  seem- 
ed to  me  that  the  waves  would  overwhelm  all  these  wrel  lies. 
and  I  could  not  suppress  my  tears.  My  father, 


FRENCH    FAIOATK    MEDUSA.  101 

to  excess,  and  bursting  with  rage  at  seeing  so  much  coward- 
ice and  inhumanity  among  the  officers  of  the  boats,  began  to  re- 
gret he  had  not  accepted  the  place  which  had  been  assigned  for 
us  upon  the  fatal  raft.  '  At  least,'  said  he, '  we  would  have  died 
with  the  brave,  or  would  have  returned  to  the  wreck  of  the 
Medusa;  and  not  have  had  the  disgrace  of  saving  ourselves 
with  cowards.'  Although  this  produced  no  •fleet  upon  the 
officers,  it  proved  very  fatal  to  us  afterwards;  for,  on  our  ar- 
rival at  Senegal,  it  was  reported  to  the  Governor,  and  very 
probably  was  the  principal  cause  of  all  those  evils  and  vexa- 
tions which  we  endured  in  that  colony. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  several  situations  of  all 
those  who  were  endeavoring  to  save  themselves  in  the  differ- 
ent boats,  as  well  as  to  those  left  upon  the  wreck  of  the  Me- 
dusa. 

We  have  already  seen,  that  the  frigate  was  half  sunk  when 
it  was  deserted,  presenting  nothing  but  a  hulk  and  wreck. — 
Nevertheless,  seventeen  still  remained  upon  it,  and  had  food, 
which,  although  damaged,  enabled  them  to  support  themselves 
for  a  considerable  time;  while  the  raft  was  abandoned  to  float 
at  the  mercy  of  the  waves,  upon  the  vast  surface  of  the  ocean. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  wretches  were  embarked  upon  it,  sunk 
to  the  depth  of  at  least  three  feet  on  its  fore  part,  and  on  its 
poop  immersed  even  to  the  middle.  What  victuals  they  had 
were  soon  consumed,  or  spoiled  by  the  salt  water;  and  per- 
haps some,  as  the  waves  hurried  them  along,  became  food  for 
the  monsters  of  the  deep.  Two  only  of  all  the  boats  which 
left  the  Medusa,  and  these  with  very  few  people  in  them,  were 
provisioned  with  every  necessary;  these  struck  off  with  se- 
curity and  despatch.  But  the  condition  of  those  who  were  in 
the  shallop  was  but  little  better  than  those  upon  the  raft;  their 
great  number,  their  scarcity  of  provisions,  their  great  distance 
from  the  shore,  gave  them  the  most  melancholy  anticipations 
of  the  future.  Their  worthy  commander,  M.  Espiau,  had  no 
other  hope  but  of  reaching  the  shore  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
other  boats  were  less  filled  with  people,  but  they  were  scarce- 
ly better  provisioned;  and  as  by  a  species  of  fatality,  the  pin- 
nace, in  which  were  our  family,  was  destitute  of  everything 
Our  provisions  consisted  of  a  barrel  of  biscuit,  and  a  tierce  of 
water;  and,  to  add  to  our  misfortune,  the  biscuit  being  soak- 
ed in  the  sea,  it  was  almost  impossible  to  swallow  one  morsel 
of  it.  Each  passenger  in  our  boat  was  obliged  to  sustain  his 
wretched  existence  with  a  glass  of  water,  which  he  could  get 
only  once  a  day.  To  tell  how  this  happened,  how  this  boa' 


02  rSCftCB    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

was  so  poorly  supplied,  while  there  was  abundance  left  upon 
the  Medusa,  is  far  beyond  my  power.  But  it  is  at  least  cer- 
tain, that  the  greater  part  of  the  officers  commanding  the 
boats,  the  shallop,  the  pinnace,  the  Senegal  boat,  and  the 
yawl,  were  persudaed,  when  they  quitted  the  frigate,  that  they 
would  not  abandon  the  raft,  but  that  all  the  expedition  would 
sail  together  to  the  coast  of  Sahara;  that  when  there,  the  boats 
would  be  again  sent  to  the  Medusa  to  take  provisions,  arms, 
and  those  who  were  left  there;  but  it  appears  the  chiefs  had 
decided  otherwise. 

After  abandoning  the  raft,  although  scattered,  all  the  boats 
formed  a  little  fleet,  and  followed  the  same  route.  All  who 
were  sincere  hoped  to  arrive  the  same  day  at  the  coast  of  the 
Desert,  and  that  every  one  would  get  on  shore;  but  JVL 
Schmaltz  and  Lachaumareys  gave  orders  to  take  the  route 
for  Senegal.  This  sudden  change  in  the  resolutions  of  the 
chiefs  was  like  a  thunderbolt  to  the  officers  commanding  the 
boats.  Having  nothing  on  board  but  what  was  barely  neces- 
sary to  enable  us  to  allay  the  cravings  of  hunger  for  one  day, 
we  were  all  sensibly  affected.  The  other  boats,  which,  like 
ourselves,  hoped  to  have  got  on  shore  at  the  nearest  point, 
were  a  little  better  provisioned  than  we  were;  they  had  at 
least  a  little  wine,  which  supplied  the  place  of  other  necessa- 
ries. We  then  demanded  some  from  them,  explaining  our 
situation,  but  none  would  assist  us,  not  even  the  captain,  who, 
drinking  to  a  kept  mistress,  supported  by  two  sailors,  swore 
he  had  not  one  drop  on  board.  We  were  next  desirous  of  ad- 
dressing the  boat  of  the  Governor  of  Senegal,  where  we  were 
persuaded  were  plenty  of  provisions  of  every  kind,  such  as 
oranges,  biscuit,  cakes,  comfits,  plums  and  even  the  finest  li- 
quors; but  my  father  opposed  it,  so  well  was  he  assured  we 
would  not  obtain  anything. 

We  will  now  '.urn  to  the  condition  of  those  on  the  raft, 
when  the  boat?  left  them  to  themselves. 

If  all  the  boats  had  continued  dragging  the  raft  forward,  fa- 
vored as  we  were  by  the  breeze  from  the  sea,  we  would  have 
been  able  to  have  conducted  them  to  the  shore  in  less  than 
two  dajs.  But  an  inconceivable  fatality  caused  the  generous 
plan  to  be  abandoned  which  had  been  formed. 

"When  the  raft  had  lost  sight  of  the  boats,  a  spirit  of  sedi- 
tion began  to  manifest  itself  in  furious  cries.  They  then  be- 
gan to  regard  one  another  with  ferocious  looks,  and  to  thirst 
for  one  another's  flesh.  Some  one  had  already  whispered  of 
having  recourse  to  that  monstrous  extremity,  and  of  com- 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  109 

mencing  with  the  fattest  and  youngest.  A  proposition  so 
atrocious  filled  the  brave  Captain  Dupont  and  his  worthy 
Lieutenant  M.  L'Heureux  with  horror;  and  that  courage 
which  had  so  often  supported  them  in  the  field  of  glory,  now 
forsook  them. 

Among  the  first  who  fell  under  the  hatchets  of  the  assassins, 
was  a  young  woman  who  had  been  seen  devouring  the  body 
of  her  husband.  When  her  turn  was  come,  she  sought  a  lit- 
tle win**  as  a  last  favor,  then  rose,  and  without  uttering  a  word 
threw  herself  into  the  sea.  Captain  Dupont,  being  prescribed 
for  having  refused  to  partake  of  the  sacrilegious  viands  with 
which  the  monsters  were  feeding  on,  was  saved  by  a  miracle 
from  the  hands  of  the  butchers.  Scarcely  had  they  seized 
him  to  lead  him  to  the  slaughter,  when  a  large  pole,  which 
served  in  place  of  a  mast,  fell  upon  his  body;  and  believing 
that  his  legs  were  broken,  they  contented  themselves  by 
throwing  him  into  the  sea.  The  unfortunate  captain  plunged 
and  disappeared,  and  they  thought  him  already  in  another 
world. 

Providence,  however,  revived  the  strength  of  the  unfortu- 
nate warrior.  He  emerged  under  the  beams  of  the  raft,  and 
clinging  with  all  his  might,  holding  his  head  above  water,  he 
remained  between  two  enormous  pieces  of  wood,  while  the 
rest  of  his  body  was  hid  in  the  sea.  After  more  than  two  hours 
of  suffering,  Captain  Dupont  spoke  in  a"  low  voice  to  his  lieu- 
tenant, who  by  chance  was  seated  near  the  place  of  his  con- 
cealment. The  brave  L'Heureux,  with  eyes  glistening  with 
tears,  believed  he  heard  the  voice,  and  saw  the  shade  of  his 
captain;  and  trembling,  was  about  to  quit  the  place  of  horror; 
O  wonderful!  he  saw  a  head  which  seemed  to  draw  its  last 
sioh,  he  recognized  it,  he  embraced  it,  alas!  it  was  his  dear 
friend!  Dupont  was  instantly  drawn  from  the  water,  and 
L'Heureux  obtained  for  his  unfortunate  comrade  again  a  place 
upon  the  raft.  Those  who  had  been  most  inveterate  against 
him,  touched  at  what  Providence  had  done  for  him  in  so  mi- 
raculous a  manner,  decided  with  one  accord  to  allow  him  en- 
tire liberty  upon  the  raft. 

The  sixty  unfortunates  who  had  escaped  from  the  first  mas- 
bacre,  were  soon  reduced  to  fifty,  then  to  forty,  and  at  last  to 
twenty-eight.  The  least  murmur,  or  the  smallest  complaint, 
nt  the  moment  of  distributing  the  provisions,  was  a  crime  pun- 
ished with  immediate  death.  In  consequence  of  such  a  regu- 
lation, if  rmjy  easily  be  presumed  the  raft  was  soon  lightened. 
In  the  meanwhile  the  nine  diminished  sensibly,  and  the  haJ' 


04  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

rations  very  much  displeased  a  certain  chief  of  the  conspira- 
cy. On  purpose  to  avoid  being  reduced  to  that  extremity, 
the  executive  power  decided  it  was  much  wiser  to  drown  thir- 
teen people,  and  to  get  full  rations,  than  that  twenty-eight 
should  have  half  rations. 

Merciful  Heaven!  wha^  shame!  After  the  last  catastro- 
phe, the  chiefs  of  the  conspiracy,  fearing,  doubtless  of  being 
assassinated  in  their  turn,  threw  all  the  arms  into  the  sea,  and 
swore  an  inviolable  friendship  with  the  heroes  which  the 
hatchet  had  spared.  On  the  17th  of  July,  in  the  morning, 
Captain  Parnajon,  commandant  of  the  Argus  brig,  still  found 
fifteen  men  on  the  raft.  They  were  immediately  taken  on 
board,  and  conducted  to  Senegal.  Four  of  the  fifteen  are 
yet  alive,  viz.  Captain  Dupont,  residing  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Maintenon,  Lieutenant  L'Heureux,  since  Captain  at  Sene- 
gal, Savigny,  at  Rochefort,  and  Correard,  I  know  not  where. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  at  ten  in  the  morning,  one  hour  after 
abandoning  the  raft,  and  three  after  quitting  the  Medusa,  M. 
Laperere,  the  officer  of  our  boat,  made  the  first  distribution  of 
provisions.  Each  passenger  had  a  small  glass  of  water  and 
nearly  the  fourth  of  a  biscuit.  Each  drank  his  allowance  of 
water  at  one  draught,  but  it  was  found  impossible  to  swallow 
one  morsel  of  our  biscuit,  it  being  so  impregnated  with  sea- 
water.  It  happened,  however,  that  some  was  found  not  quite 
so  saturated.  Of  these  we  eat  a  small  portion,  and  put  back 
the  remainder  for  a  future  day.  Our  voyage  would  have  been 
sufficiently  agreeable,  if  the  beams  of  the  sun  had  not  been  so 
fierce.  On  the  evening  we  perceived  the  shores  of  the  De- 
sert ;  but  as  the  two  chiefs  (MM.  Schmaltz  and  Lachau- 
mareys)  wished  to  go  right  for  Senegal,  notwithstanding  we 
were  still  one  hundred  leagues  from  it,  we  were  not  allowed 
to  land.  Several  officers  remonstrated,  both  on  account  of 
our  want  of  provisions  and  the  crowded  condition  of  the 
boats,  for  undertaking  so  dangerous  a  voyage.  Others  urged 
with  equal  force,  that  it  would  be  dishonoring  the  French 
name  if  we  were  to  neglect  the  unfortunate  people  on  the 
raft,  and  insisted,  we  should  be  set  on  shore,  and  whilst  we 
waited  there,  three  boats  should  return  to  look  after  the  raft, 
and  three  to  the  wreck  of  the  frigate,  to  take  up  the  seventeen 
who  were  left  there,  as  well  as  a  sufficient  quantity  of  provi- 
sions to  enable  us  to  go  to  Senegal  by  the  way  of  Barbary 
But  MM.  Schmaltz  and  Lachaumareyswhose  boats  were  suf- 
ficiently well  provisioned,  scouted  the  advice  or  thoir  sr.bal- 
terns,  and  ordered  them  to  cast  anchor  till  the  following  morn- 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  10* 

mg .  They  were  obliged  to  obey  these  orders,  and  to  relin- 
quish their  designs.  During  the  night,  a  certain  passenger 
who  was  doubtless  no  doctor,  and  who  believed  in  ghosts  and 
witches,  was  suddenly  frightened  by  the  appearance  of  flames, 
which  he  thought  he  saw  in  the  waters  of  the  sea,  a  little  way 
from  where  our  boat  was  anchored.  My  father,  and  some 
others,  who  were  aware  that  the  sea  is  sometimes  phosphor- 
ated, confirmed  the  poor  credulous  man  in  his  belief,  and  add- 
ed several  circumstances  which  fairly  turned  his  brain.  They 
persuaded  him  the  Arabic  sorcerers  had  fired  the  sea  to  pre- 
vent us  from  travelling  along  their  deserts. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  July,  at  five  o'clock,  all  the 
boats  were  under  way  on  the  route  to  Senegal.  The  boats 
of  MM.  Schmaltz  and  Lachaumareys  took  the  lead  along  the 
coast,  and  all  the  expedition  followed.  About  eight,  several 
sailors  in  our  boat,  with  threats,  demanded  to  be  set  on  shore  , 
but  M.  Laperere,  not  acceding  to  their  request,  the  whole 
were  about  to  revolt  and  seize  the  command  ;  but  the  firmness 
of  tbis  officer  quelled  the  mutineers.  In  a  spring  which  he 
made  to  seize  a  firelock  which  a  sailor  persisted  in  keeping  in 
his  possession,  he  almost  tumbled  into  the  sea.  My  father 
fortunately  was  near  him,  and  held  him  by  his  clothes,  but  he 
had  instantly  to  quit  him,  for  fear  of  losing  his  hat,  which  the 
the  waves  were  floating  away.  A  short  while  after  this  slight 
accident,  the  shallop,  which  we  had  lost  sight  of  since  the 
morning,  appeared  desirous  of  rejoining  us.  We  plied  all 
hands  to  avoid  her,  for  we  were  afraid  of  one  another,  and 
thought  that  that  boat,  encumbered  with  so  many  people,  wish- 
ed to  board  us  to  oblige  us  to  take  some  of  its  passengers,  as 
M.  Espiau  would  not  suffer  them  to  be  abandoned  like  those 
upon  the  raft.  That  officer  hailed  us  at  a  distance,  offering  to 
tal  >!  our  family  on  board,  adding,  he  was  anxious  to  take 
about  sixty  people  to  the  Desert.  The  officer  of  our  boat, 
thinking  that  this  was  a  pretence,  replied,  we  preferred  suffer- 
ing where  we  were.  It  even  appeared  to  us  that  M.  Espiau 
had  hid  some  of  his  people  under  the  benches  of  the  shallop. 
But  alas  ;  in  the  end  we  deeply  deplored  being  so  suspicious, 
and  of  having  so  outraged  the  devotion  of  the  most  geneioun 
officer  of  the  Medusa. 

Our  boat  began  to  leak  considerably,  but  we  prevented  it 
as  well  as  we  could,  by  stuffing  the  largest  holes  with  oakum, 
which  an  old  sailor  had  had  the  precaution  to  take  before  quit- 
ting the  frigate.  At  noon  the  heat  became  so  strong — so  in- 
tolerable, that  several  of  us  believed  we  had  reached  our  last 
voi.  ii.  5* 


106  FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUSA. 

moments.  The  hot  winds  of  the  Desert  even  reached  us  ;  and 
the  fine  sand  with  which  they  were  loaded,  had  completely  ob- 
scured *he  clearness  of  the  atmosphere.  The  sun  presented 
a  reddish  disk  ;  the  whole  surface  of  the  ocean  became  nebul- 
ous, and  the  air  which  we  breathed,  depositing  a  fine  sarul,  an 
impalpable  powder,  penetrated  to  our  lungs,  already  parched 
with  a  burning  thirst.  In  this  state  of  tormen  we  remained 
till  four  in  the  afternoon,  when  a  breeze  from  the  northwest 
brought  us  some  relief.  Notwithstanding  the  privations  we 
felt,  and  especially  the  burning  thirst  which  had  become  in- 
tolerable, the  cool  air  which  we  now  began  to  breathe,  made 
us  in  part  forget  our  sufferings.  The  heavens  began  again  to 
resume  the  usual  serenity  of  those  latitudes,  and  we  hoped  to 
have  passed  a  good  ni«hl.  A  second  distribution  of  provisions 
was  made  ;  each  received  a  small  glass  of  water,  and  ..e 
eighth  part  of  a  biscuit.  Notwithstanding  our  meagre  fare, 
every  one  seemed  content,  in  the  peruasion  we  would  reach 
Senegal  by  the  morrow.  But  how  vain  were  all  our  hopes, 
and  what  sufferings  had  we  yet  to  endure  ! 

At  half  past  seven,  the  sky  was  covered  with  stormy  clouds. 
The  serenity  we  had  admired  a  little  while  before,  entirely  dis- 
appeared, and  gave  place  to  the  most  gloomy  obscurity.  The 
surface  of  the  ocean  presented  all  the  signs  of  a  coming  temp- 
est. The  horizon  on  the  side  of  the  Desert  had  the  appear- 
ance of  a  long  hideous  chain  of  mountains  piled  on  one  an- 
other, the  summits  of  which  seemed  to  vomit  fire  and  smoke. 
Bluish  clouds,  streaked  with  a  dark  copper  color,  detached 
themselves  from  that  shapeless  heap,  and  came  and  joined 
with  those  which  floated  over  our  heads.  In  less  than  half 
an  hour  the  ocean  seemed  confounded  with  the  terrible  sky 
which  canopied  us.  The  stars  were  hid.  Suddenly  a  fright- 
ful noise  was  heard  from  the  west,  and  all  the  waves  of  t'je 
sea  rushed  to  founder  our  frail  bark.  A  fearful  silence  suc- 
ceeded to  the  general  consternation  Every  tongue  was 
mute  ;  and  none  durst  communicate  to  his  neighbor  the  horror 
with  which  his  mind  was  impressed.  At  intervals  th-3  cries  cf 
the  children  rent  our  hearts.  At  that  instant  a  weeping  and 
agonized  mother  bared  her  breast  to  her  dying  child,  but  it 
yielded  nothing  to  appease  the  thirst  of  the  little  innocent 
who  pressed  it  in  vain.  0  night  of  horrors  !  what  pen  is  ca- 
pable to  paint  thy  terrible  picture  !  How  describe  the  agoniz- 
ing iVara  of  a  father  and  mother,  at  the  sight  of  tht-ir  children 
tossed  about  and  expiring  of  hunger  in  a  small  boat,  which  the 
winds  and  waves  threatened  to  engulf  at  every  instant  !  IJav- 


FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUSA.  107 

ing  full  before  our  eyes  the  prospect  of  inevitable  death,  we 
gave  ourselves  up  to  our  unfortunate  condition,  and  addressed 
our  prayers  to  Heaven.  The  winds  growled  with  the  utmost 
fury  ;  the  tempestuous  waves  arose  exasperated.  In  their 
terrific  encounter  a  mountain  of  water  was  precipitated  into 
)ur  boat,  carrying  away  one  of  the  sails,  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  effects  which  the  sailors  had  saved  from  the  Medusa. 
Our  bark  was  nearly  sunk  ;  the  females  and  the  children  lay 
rolling  in  its  bottom,  drinking  the  waters  of  bitterness  ;  and 
their  cries,  mixed  with  the  roaring  of  the  waves  and  the  furi- 
ous north  wind,  increased  the  horrors  of  the  scene.  My  un- 
fortunate father  then  experienced  the  most  excruciating  agony 
of  mind.  The  idea  of  the  loss  which  the  shipwreck  had  oc- 
casioned to  him,  and  the  danger  which  still  menaced  all  he 
held  dearest  in  the  world,  plunged  him  into  a  swoon.  The 
tenderness  of  his  wife  and  children  recovered  him  ;  but  alas  ! 
his  recovery  was  to  still  more  bitterly  deplore  the  wretched 
situation  of  his  family.  He  clasped  us  to  his  bosom  ;  ho 
bathed  us  witli  his  tears,  and  seemed  as  if  he  was  regarding  us 
with  his  last  looks  of  love. 

Every  soul  in  the  boat  was  seized  with  the  same  perturba- 
tion, but  it  manifested  itself  in  different  ways.  One  part  of 
the  sailors  remained  motionless,  in  a  bewildered  state  ;  the 
other  cheered  and  encouraged  one  another  ;  the  children, 
locked  in  the  arms  of  their  parents,  wept  incessantly.  Some 
demanded  drink,  vomiting  the  salt  wa.ter  which  choked  them  ; 
others,  in  short,  embraced  as  for  the  last  time,  intertwining 
their  arms,  and  vowing  to  die  together 

In  the  meanwhile  the  sea  became  rougher  and  rougher. 
The  whole  surface  of  the.  ocean  seemed  a  vast  plain  furrowed 
with  huge  blackish  waves  fringed  with  white  foam.  The 
thunder  growled  around  us,  and  the  lightning  discovered  to  our 
eyes  all  that  our  imagination  could  conceive  most  horrible. 
Our  boat,  beset  on  all  sides  by  the  winds,  and  at  every  instant 
tossed  on  the  summit  of  mountains  of  water,  was  very  nearly 
Bunk  in  spite  of  our  every  effort  in  baling  it,  wnen  we  discover- 
ed a  large  hole  in  its  poop.  It  was  instantly  stuffed  with 
everything  we  could  find: — old  clothes,  sleeves  of  shirts,  shreds 
of  coats,  shawls,  useless  bonnets,  everything  was  employed, 
and  secured  us  as  far  as  it  was  possible.  During  the  space 
of  six  hours,  we  rowed  suspended  alternately  between  hope 
and  fear,  between  life  and  death.  At  last  towards  the  middle 
of  the  night,  Heaven  which  had  seen  our  resignation,  com- 
manded the  floods  to  be  still.  Instantly  the  sea  became  less 


108  FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUIA. 

rough,  the  veil  which  covered  the  sky  became  les*  obscure, 
the  stars  again  shone  out,  and  the  tempest  seemed  to  withdraw. 
A  general  exclamation  of  joy  and  thankfulness  issued  at  one 
instant  from  every  mouth.  The  winds  calmed,  and  each  of  us 
sought  a  little  sleep,  while  our  good  and  generous  pilot  steer- 
ed our  boat  on  a  still  very  stormy  sea. 

The  day  at  last,  the  day  so  desired,  entirely  restored  the 
calm  ;  but  it  brought  no  other  consolation.  During  the  night, 
the  currents,  the  waves,  and  the  winds  had  taken  us  so  far 
out  to  sea,  that,  on  the  dawning  of  the  7th  of  July,  we  saw 
nothing  but  sky  and  water,  without  knowing  whither  to  direct 
our  course  ;  for  our  compass  had  been  broken  during  the 
tempest.  In  this  hopeless  condition,  we  continued  to  steer 
sometimes  to  the  right  and  sometimes  to  the  left,  until  the  sun 
arose,  and  at  last  snowed  us  the  east. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  July,  we  again  saw  the 
shores  of  the  Desert,  notwithstanding  we  were  a  great  dis- 
tance from  it.  The  sailors  renewed  their  murmurings,  wish- 
ing to  get  on  shore,  with  the  hope  of  being  able  to  get  some 
wholesome  plants,  and  some  more  palatable  water  than  that  of 
the  sea;  but  as  we  were  afraid  of  the  Moors,  their  request 
was  opposed.  However,  M.  Laperere  proposed  to  take  them 
as  near  as  he  could  to  the  first  breakers  on  the  coast;  and 
when  there,  those  who  wished  to  go  on  shore  should  throw 
themselves  into  the  sea,  and  swim  to  land.  Eleven  accepted 
the  proposal;  but  when  we  had  reached  the  first  waves,  none 
had  the  courage  to  brave  the  mountains  of  water  which  roll- 
ed between  them  and  the  beach.  Our  sailors  then  betook 
themselves  to  their  benches  and  oars,  and  promised  to  be 
more  quiet  for  the  future.  A  short  while  after,  a  third  distri- 
bution was  made  since  our  departure  from  the  Medusa;  and 
nothing  more  remained  than  four  pints  of  water,  and  one  half 
dozen  biscuits.  What  steps  were  we  to  take  in  this  cruel 
situation?  We  were  desirous  of  going  on  shore,  but  we  had 
s-jch  dangers  to  encounter  However  we  soon  came  to  a  de- 
cision, when  we  saw  a  caravan  of  Moors  on  the  coast.  We 
then  stood  a  little  out  to  sea.  According  to  the  calculation 
of  our  commanding  officer,  we  would  arrive  at  Senegal  on 
the  morrow  Deceived  by  that  false  account,  we  preferred 
suffering  one  day  more,  rather  than  be  taken  by  the 
Moors  of  the  Desert,  or  perish  among  the  breakers.  We 
had  now  no  more  than  a  small  half  glass  of  water,  and  tb« 
seventh  of  a  biscuit. 

Exposed  as  we  were  to  the  heat  of  the  sun,  which  darted 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDtTSA.  Hft 

«ta  rays  perpendicularly  on  our  heads,  that  ration,  though  small 
would  have  been  a  gr^ut  relief  to  us;  but  the  distribution 
was  delayed  to  the  morrow.  We  were  then  obliged  to  drinl1 
the -bitter  sea  water,  ill  as  it  was  calculated  to  quench  oir 
thirst.  Must  I  tell  it!  thirst  had  so  withered  the  lungs  of 
our  sailors,  that  they  drank  water  salter  than  that  of  the  sea 
Our  numbers  diminished  daily,  and  nothing  but  the  hope  of 
arriving  at  the  colony  on  the  following  day  sustained  our  fran 
existence.  My  young  brothers  and  sisters  wept  incessantly 
for  water.  The  little  Laura,  aged  six  years  lay  dying  at  the 
feet  of  her  mother.  Her  mournful  cries  so  moved  the  sou 
of  my  unfortunate  father,  that  he  was  on  the  eve  of  opening 
a  vien  to  quench  the  thirst  which  consumed  his  child;  but* 
wise  person  opposed  his  design,  observing  that  all  the  bloo* 
in  his  body  would  not  prolong  the  life  of  his  infant  one  nv 
ment. 

The  freshness  of  the  night  wind  procured  us  pome  respite 
We  anchored  pretty  near  to  the  shore,  and  though  dying  o* 
famine,  each  got  a  tranquil  sleep.  On  the  morning  of  thw 
8th  of  July,  at  break  of  day,  we  took  the  route  for  Senega* 
A  short  while  after  the  wind  fell,  and  we  had  a  dead  calm.- 
We  endeavored  to  row,  but  our  strength  was  exhausted.  A 
'ourth  and  last  distribution  was  made,  and  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye,  our  last  resources  were  consumed.  We  were  forty- 
two  people  who  had  to  feed  upon  six  biscuits  and  about  four 
pints  of  water,  with  no  hope  of  a  farther  supply.  Then  came 
the  moment  for  deciding  whether  we  were  to  perish  among 
the  breakers,  which  defended  the  approach  to  the  shores  of 
the  Desert,  or  to  die  of  famine  in  continuing  our  route. — 
The  majority  preferred  the  last  species  of  misery.  We  con- 
tinued our  progress  along  the  shore,  painfully  pulling  our 
oars.  Upon  the  beach  were  distinguished  several  downs  of 
white  sand  and  some  small  trees.  We  were  thus  creeping 
along  the  coast,  observing  a  mournful  silence,  when  a  sailor 
suddenly  exclaimed,  behold  the  Moors!  We  did,  in  fact,  see 
various  individuals  upon  the  rising  ground,  walking  at  a 
quick  pace,  and  whom  we  took  to  be  the  Arabs  of  the  Deseit 
As  we  were  very  near  the  shore,  we  stood  farther  out  _o  sea, 
fearing  that  these  pretended  Moors,  or  Arabs,  would  throw 
themselves  into  the  sea,  swim  out,  and  take  us.  Some  hours 
after,  we  observed  several  people  upon  an  eminence,  wfco 
seemed  to  make  signals  for  us. 

We  examined  them  attentively,  and  soon  recognized  them 
to  be  our  companions  in  misfortune.     We  replied  to  them  by 


110  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA, 

attaching  a  white  handkerchief  to  the  top  of  our  mast.  Then 
we  resolved  to  lawd  at  the  risk  of  peiifhing  among  the  break- 
ers, which  were  very  strong  towards  the  shore,  although  the 
aea  was  calm.  On  approaching  the  beach,  we  went  towards 
the  right,  where  the  waves  seemed  less  agitated,  and  endeav- 
ored to  reach  it,  with  the  hope  of  being  able  more  easily  to 
land.  Scarcely  had  we  directed  our  course  to  that  point, 
wnen  we  perceived  a  great  number  of  people  standing  near 
to  a  little  wood  surrounding  the  sand-hills.  We  recognized 
them  to  be  the  passengers  of  that  boat,  which,  like  ourselves, 
were  deprived  of  provisions. 

Meanwhile  we  approached  the  shore,  and  already  the  foam- 
ing surge  Oiled  us  with  terror.  Each  wave  that  came  from 
the  open  sea,  each  billow  that  swept  beneath  our  boat,  made 
us  bound  into  the  air;  so  we  were  sometimes  thrown  from  the 
poop  to  the  prow,  and  from  the  prow  to  the  poop.  Then,  if 
our  pilot  had  missed  the  sea,  we  would  have  been  sunk;  the 
waves  would  have  thrown  us  aground,  and  we  would  have 
been  buried  among  the  breakers.  The  helm  of  the  boat  was 
again  given  to  the  old  pilot,  who  had  already  so  happily  steer- 
ed us  through  the  dangers  of  the  storm.  He  instantly  threw  in- 
to the  sea  the  mast,  the  sails,  and  everything  that  could  impede 
our  proceedings.  When  we  came  to  the  first  landing  point, 
several  of  our  shipwrecked  companions,  who  had  reached  the 
shore,  ran  and  hid  themselves  behind  the  hills,  not  to  sen  us 
perish;  others  made  signs  not  to  approach  at  that  place,  some 
covered  their  eye*  with  their  hands;  others,  at  last  despising 
the  danger,  precipitated  themselves  into  the  waves  to  receive 
us  in  their  arms.  We  then  saw  a  spectacle  that  made  us 
shudder.  We  had  already  doubled  two  ranges  of  breakers; 
but  those  which  we  had  still  to  cross  raised  their  foaming 
waves  to  a  prodigious  height,  then  sunk  with  a  hollow  and 
monstrous  sound,  sweeping  along  a  long  line  of  the  coast.— 
Our  boat  sometimes  greatly  elevated,  and  sometimes  engulf- 
ed between  the  waves,  seemed,  at  the  moment,  of  utter  ruin. 
Bruised,  battered  and  tossed  about  on  all  hands,  it  turned  of 
itself,  and  refused  to  obey  the  kind  hand  which  directed  it. — 
At  that  instant  a  huge  wave  rushed  fiom  the  open  sea,  and 
dashed  against  the  poop;  the  boat  plunged,  disappeared,  and 
we  were  all  among  the  waves.  Our  sailors,  whose  strength 
had  returned  at  the  presence  of  danger,  redoubled  their  efforts, 
uttering  mournful  sounds.  Our  bark  groaned,  the  oars  were 
broken;  it  was  thought  aground,  but  it  was  stranded;  it  wai 
upon  its  side.  The  last  sea  rushed  upon  us  with  the  impetu 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA  111 

osity  of  a  torrent.  We  were  all  up  to  the  neck  in  water;  the 
bitter  sen-froth  choked  us.  The  grapnel  was  thrown  out.— 
The  sailors  threw  themselves  into  the  sea;  they  took  the 
children  in  their  arms;  returned,  and  took  us  upon  their 
shoulders;  and  I  found  myself  seated  upon  the  sand  on  the 
sho;e,  by  the  side  of  my  step-mother,  my  brothers  and  sisters, 
almost  dead.  Every  one  was  upon  the  beach  except  my  fath- 
er and  some  sailors;  but  that  good  man  arrived  at  last,  to 
rr.jigle  his  tears  with  those  of  his  family  and  friends. 

Instantly  our  hearts  joined  in  addressing  our  prayers  and 
praises  to  God.  I  raised  my  hands  to  heaven,  and  remained 
sometime  immoveablc  upon  the  beach.  Every  one  also  hast- 
ened to  testify  his  gratitude  to  our  old  pilot,  who  next  to 
God,  justly  merited  the  title  of  our  preserver.  JVI.  Dumege^ 
a  naval  surgeon,  gave  him  an  elegant  gold  watch,  the  only 
thing  he  had  saved  from  the  Medusa. 

Let  the  reader  now  recollect  all  the  perils  to  which  we  had 
been  exposed  in  escaping  from  the  wreck  of  the  frigate  to  the 
shores  of  the  Desert — all  that  we  had  suffered  during  our  four 
days'  voyage — -and  he  will  perhaps  have  a  just  notion  of  the 
various  sensations  we  felt  on  getting  on  shore  on  that  strange 
and  savage  land.  Doubtless  the  joy  we  experienced  at  having 
escaped,  as  by  a  miracle,  the  fury  of  the  floods,  was  very 
great;  but  how  much  was  it  lessened  by  the  feelings  of  our 
horrible  situation!  Without  water,  provisions,  and  the  ma- 
jority of  us  nearly  naked,  was  it  to  be  wom'ered  at  that  we 
should  be  seized  with  terror  «n  thinking  of  the  obstacles 
which  we  had  to  surmount,  the  fatigues,  the  privations,  the 
pains  and  sufferings  we  had  to  endure,  with  the  dangers  we 
had  to  encounter  in  the  immense  and  frightful  Desert  we  had 
to  traverse  before  we  could  arrive  at  our  destination?  Al- 
mighty Providence!  it  was  in  Thee  alone  I  put  my  trust. 

After  we  had  a  little  recovered  from  the  fainting  and  fatigue 
of  our  getting  on  shore,  our  fellow-sufferers  told  us  they  had 
landed  in  the  forenoon,  and  cleared  the  breakers  by  the 
strength  of  their  oars  and  sails  ;  but  they  had. not  all  been  so 
lucky  as  we  were.  One  unfortunate  person,  too  desirous  of 
getting  quickly  on  shore,  had  his  legs  broken  under  the 
shallop,  and  was  taken  and  laid  on  the  beach,  and  left  to  the 
care  of  Providence.  M.  Espiau,  commander  of  the  shallop, 
reproached  us  for  having  doubted  him  when  he  wished  to  board 
us  to  take  our  family  along  with  linn.  It  was  most  true  h« 
had  landed  sixty-three  people  that  dav.  A  short  while  after 
our  refusal,  he  took  the  passengers  of  the  yawl,vwho  wovld  a 


112  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

fallihly  have  perished  in  the  stormy  nights  of  the  6th  and  7th. 
Itie  boat  named  the  Senegal,  commanded  by  M.  Maudet,  had 
made  the  shore  at  the  same  time  with  M.  E.spiau.  The  boats 
of  MM.  Schmaltz  and  Lachaumareys  were  the  only  onea 
which  continued  the  route  for  Senegal,  while  nine-tenths  of 
the  Frenchmen  intrusted  to  these  gentlemen  were  butchering 
each  other  on  the  raft,  or  dying  of  hunger  on  the  burning 
sands  of  Sahara. 

About  seven  in  the  morning,  a  caravan  was  formed  to  pen- 
etrate into  the  interior,  for  the  purpose  of  finding  some  fre.sh 
water.  We  did  accordingly  find  some  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  sea,  by  digging  among  the  sand.  Every  one  instantly 
flocked  round  the  little  wells,  which  furnished  enough  to 
quench  our  thirst.  This  brackish  water  was  found  to  be  de- 
licious, although  it  had  a  sulphurous  taste  :  its  color  was  that 
of  whev.  As  all  our  clothes  were  wet  and  in  tatters,  and  as 
we  had  nothing  to  change  them,  some  generous  officers  offer- 
ed theirs.  My  step-mother,  my  cousin,  and  my  sister,  were 
dressed  in  them  ;  for  myself,  I  preferred  keeping  my  own. 
We  remained  nearly  an  hour  beside  our  beneficent  fountain, 
then  took  the  route  for  Senegal  ;  that  is,  a  southerly  direction, 
for  we  did  not  know  exactly  where  that  country  lay.  It  was 
agreed  *hat  the  females  and  children  should  walk  before  the 
caravan,  that  they  might  not  be  left  behind.  The  sailors  vol- 
untarily carried  the  youngest  on  their  shoulders,  and  every 
one  took  the  route  along  the  coast.  Notwithstanding  it  was 
nearly  seven  o'clock,  the  sand  vras  quite  burning,  and  we  suf- 
fered severely,  walking  without  shoes,  having  lost  them  wh'ile 
landing.  As  soon  as  we  arrived  on  the  shore,  we  went  to 
walk  on  the  wet  sand,  to  cool  us  a  little.  Thus  we  travel- 
ed during  all  the  night,  without  encountering  anything  but 
shells,  which  wounded  our  feet. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  we  saw  an  antelope  on  the  top 
of  a  little  hill,  which  instantly  disappeared,  before  we  had  time 
to  shoot  it.  The  Desert  seemed  to  our  view  one  immense 
plain  of  sand,  on  which  was  seen  not  one  blade  of  verdure. 
However,  we  still  found  water  by  digging  in  the  sand.  In  the 
forenoon,  two  officers  of  marine  complained  that  our  family  in- 
commoded the  progress  of  the  caravan.  It  is  true,  the  females 
and  the  children  could  not  walk  so  quickly  as  the  men.  We 
walked  as  fast  as  it  was  possible  for  us,  nevertheless,  we  often 
fell  behind,  which  obliged  them  to  halt  till  we  came  up 
These  officers,  joined  with  other  individuals,  considered  among 
Yenisei ves  whether  they  would  wait  for  us,  or  to  abandon  ut 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  119 

r  the  Desert.  I  will  be  bold  to  say,  however,  that  but  few 
were  of  the  latter  opinion.  My  father  being  informed  of  what 
was  plotting  against  us,  stepped  up  to  the  chiefs  of  the  con- 
spiracy, and  reproached  them  in  the  bitterest  terms  for  their 
selfishness  and  brutality.  The  dispute  waxed  hot.  Those 
who  were  desirous  of  leaving  us  drew  their  swords,  and  my 
father  put  his  hand  upon  a  poignard,  with  which  he  had  pro- 
vided himself  on  quitting  the  frigate.  At  this  scene,  we  threw 
ourselves  in  between  them,  conjuring  him  rather  to  remain  in 
the  Desert  with  his  family,  than  seek  the  assistance  of  those 
who  were,  perhaps,  less  human  than  the  Moors  themselves 
Several  people  took  our  part,  particularly  M.  Begnere,  cap 
tain  of  infantry,  who  quieted  the  dispute  by  saying  to  his  sol- 
diers, '  My  friends,  you  are  Frenchmen,  and  1  have  the  honor 
of  being  your  commander  ;  let  us  never  abandon  an  unfortu- 
nate family  in  the  Desert,  so  long  as  we  are  able  to  be  of  use 
to  them.'  This  brief,  but  energetic  speech,  caused  those  to 
blush  who  wished  to  leave  us.  All  then  joined  with  the  old 
captain  saying  they  would  not  leave  us  on  condition  we  would 
walk  quicker.  M.  Begnere  and  his  soldiers  replied,  they  did 
not  wish  to  impose  conditions  on  those  to  whom  they  were  de- 
sirous of  doing  a  favor  ;  and  the  unfortunate  family  of  Picard 
were  again  on  the  road  with  the  whole  caravan. 

About  noon  hunger  was  felt  so  powerfully  among  us,  that  it 
was  agreed  upon  to  go  to  the  small  hills  of  sand  which  were 
near  the  coast,  to  see  if  any  herbs  could  be  fojrd  fit  for  eat- 
ing ;  but  we  only  got  poisonous  plants,  among  which  were 
various  kinds  ofeuphorbium.  Convolvaluses  of  a  bright  green 
carpeted  the  downs  ;  but  on  tasting  their  leaves  we  found  them 
as  bitter  as  gall.  The  caravan  rested  in  this  place,  while 
several  officers  went  farther  into  the  interior.  They  came 
back  in  about  an  hour,  loaded  with  wild  purslain,  which  they 
distributed  to  each  of  us.  Every  one  instantly  devoured  his 
bunch  of  herbage,  without  leaving  the  smallest  branch  :  but 
as  our  hunger  was  far  from  being  satisfied  with  this  small  al- 
lowance, the  soldiers  and  sailors  betook  themselves  to  look  for 
more.  They  soon  brought  back  a  sufficient  quantity,  which 
was  equally  distributed,  and  devoured  upon  the  spot,  so  deli- 
cious had  hunger  made  that  food  to  us.  For  myself,  I  declare 
I  never  eat  anything  with  so  much  appetite  in  all  my  life. 
Water  was  al.so  found  in  this  place,  but  it  was  of  an  abomin 
able  taste.  After  this  truly  frugal  repast,  we  continued  our 
route  The  heat  was  insupportable 'in  the  last  degree.  Tba 
Rands  on  which  we  trod  were  burning,  nevertheless  several  of 


1  14  FRENCH  FRIGATE  MEDUSA 

us  walked  on  these  scorching  coals  without  shoes  ;  and  th« 
females  had  nothing  but  their  hair  for  a  cap.  When  we  reach- 
ed the  sea-shore,  we  all  ran  and  lay  down  among  the  waves. 
After  remaining  there  some  time,  we  took  our  route  along  the 
wet  beach.  On  our  journey  we  met  with  several  large  crabs, 
which  were  of  considerable  service  to  us.  Every  now  aruj 
then  we  endeavored  to  slake  our  thirst  by  sucking  their  crook- 
ed claws.  About  nine  at  night  we  halted  between  two  pretty 
high  sand  hills.  After  a  short  talk  concerning  our  misfor- 
tunes, all  seemed  desirous  of  passing  the  night  in  this  place, 
notwithstanding  we  heard  on  every  side  the  roaring  of  leopards 
We  deliberated  on  the  means  of  securing  ourselves,  but  sleep 
soon  put  an  end  to  our  fears.  Scarcely  had  we  slumbered  a 
few  hours  when  a  terrible  roaring  of  wild  beasts  awoke  us,  and 
made  us  stand  on  our  defence.  It  was  a  beautiful  moonlight 
night,  and  in  spite  of  my  fears  and  the  horrible  aspect  of  the 
place,  nature  never  appeared  so  sublime  to  me  before.  In- 
stantly something  was  announced  that  resembled  a  lion.  This 
information  was  listened  to  with  the  greatest  emotion.  Every 
one  being  desirous  of  verifying  the  truth,  fixed  upon  something 
he  thought  to  be  the  object  :  one  believed  he  saw  the  long 
teeth  of  the  king  of  the  forest  ;  another  was  convinced  his 
mouth  was  already  open  to  devour  us  :  several,  armed  with 
muskets,  aimed  at  the  animal,  and  advancing  a  few  steps,  dis- 
covered the  pretended  lion  to  be  nothing  more  than  a  shrub 
fluctuating  in  the  breeze.  However,  the  bowlings  of  ferocious 
beasts  had  so  frightened  us,  being  yet  heard  at  intervals  that 
we  again  sought  the  sea-shore,  on  purpose  to  continue  our 
route  towards  the  south. 

Some  of  our  companions  were  desirous  of  making  observ- 
ations in  the  interior,  and  they  did  not  go  in  vain.  They  in- 
stantly returned,  and  told  us  they  had  seen  two  Arab  tents 
upon  a  slight  rising  ground.  We  instantly  directed  our  steps 
thither.  We  had  to  pass  great  downs  of  sand  very  slippery, 
and  arrived  in  a  large  plain  streaked  here  and  there  with  ver-. 
dure  ;  but  the  turf  was  so  hard  and  piercing,  we  could  scarce- 
ly walk  over  it  without  wounding  our  feet.  Our  presence  in 
these  fri'Mful  solitudes  put  to  flight  three  or  four  Moorish 
shepherds,  who  herded  a  small  flbck  of  sheep  and  goats  in  an 
oasis.  At  last  we  arrived  at  the  tents  after  which  we  were 
searching,  and  found  in  them  three  Mooresses  and  two  little 
children,  who  did  not  seem  in  the  least  frightened  by  our  visit. 
A  negro  servant,  belonging  to  an  oflicer  of  mar'ne,  interpret- 
ed between  us  ;  and  the  good  women,  who,  when  they  had 
heard  of  our  misfortunes,  offered  us  millet  and  water  for  pay- 


rRENCB  miOATE  MEDDtA  llf 

tnent.  We  bought  a  little  of  that  grain  at  the  rate  of  thirty 
pence  a  handful  ;  the  water  was  got  for  three  francs  a  glass  ; 
it  was  very  good,  and  none  grudged  the  money  it  cost.  As  a 
glass  of  water,  with  a  handful  of  millet,  was  but  a  poor  dinner 
for  famished  people,  my  father  bought  two  kids,  which  they 
would  not  give  him  under  twenty  piastres.  We  immediately 
killed  them,  and  our  JNIooresses  boiled  them  in  a  large  kettle 
While  our  repast  was  preparing,  my  father,  who  could  not  aP- 
ford  the  whole  of  the  expense,  got  others  to  contribute  to  it , 
but  an  old  officer  of  marine,  who  was  to  have  been  captain  of 
the  port  of  Senegal,  was  the  only  person  who  refused,  notwith- 
standing he  had  about  him  nearly  three  thousand  francs  which 
he  boasted  of  in  the  end.  Seviral  soldiers  and  sailors  had 
seen  him  count  it  in  round  pieces  of  gold,  on  coming  ashore 
on  the  Desert,  and  reproached  him  for  his  sordid  avarice  ;  but 
he  seemed  insensible  to  their  reproaches,  nor  eat  the  less  of  his 
portion  of  the  kid  with  his  companions  in  misfortune. 

When  about  to  resume  our  journey,  we  saw  several  Moors 
approaching  us  armed  with  lances.  Our  people  instantly 
seized  »their  arms,  and  put  themselves  in  readiness  to  defend 
us  in  case  of  an  attack.  Two  officers,  followed  by  several 
soldiers  and  sailors,  with  our  interpreter,  advanced  to  discover 
their  intentions.  They  instantly  returned  with  the  Moors, 
who  said,  that  far  from  wishing  to  do  us  harm,  they  had  come 
to  offer  us  their  assistance,  and  to  conduct  us  to  Senegal. 
This  offer  being  accepted  of  with  gratitude  by  all  of  us,  the 
Moors,  of  whom  we  had  been  so  afraid,  became  our  protectors 
and  friends,  verifying  the  old  proverb,  there  are  good  people 
everywhere  !  As  the  camp  of  the  Moors  was  at  some  con- 
siderable distance  from  where  we  were,  we  set  off  altogether 
io  reach  it  before  night.  After  having  walked  about  two 
leagues  through  the  burning  sands,  we  found  ourselves  again 
apon  the  shore.  Towards  night,  our  conductors  made  us 
strike  again  into  the  interior,  saying  we  were  near  their  camp 
which  is  called  in  their  language  Berkclet.  But  the  short 
distance  of  the  Moors  was  found  very  long  by  the  females  and 
the  children,  on  account  of  the  downs  of  sand  which  we  had  to 
ascend  and  descend  every  instant,  also  of  prickly  shrubs  over 
which  we  were  frequently  obliged  to  walk.  Those  who  were 
barefooted,  felt  most  severely  at  this  time  the  want  of  their 
shoes.  I  myself  lost  among  the  bushes  various  shreds  of  my 
dress,  and  my  feet  and  legs  were  all  streaming  with  blood. 
At  length,  after  two  long  hours  of  walking  and  suffering,  we 
arrived  at  the  camp  of  that  tribe  to  which  belonged  our  Arab 


i  16  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

conductors  We  had  scarcely  got  into  the  camp,  when  the 
dogs,  the  children,  and  the  Moorish  women,  began  to  annoy 
us.  Some  of  them  threw  sand  in  our  eyes,  others  amused 
themselves  by  snatching  at  our  hair,  on  pretence  of  wishing 
to  examine  it.  This  pinched  us,  that  spit  upon  us  ;  the  dogs 
bit  our  legs,  whilst  the  old  harpies  cut  the  buttons  from  the 
officers  coats,  or  endeavored  to  take  away  the  lace.  Our 
conductors,  however,  had  pity  on  us,  and  chased  away  the 
dogs  and  the  curious  crowd,  who  had  already  made  us  suffer 
as  much  as  the  thorns  which  had  tern  our  feet.  The  chiefs 
of  the  camp,  our  guides,  and  some  good  women,  at  last  set 
about  getting  us  some  supper.  Water  in  abundance  was 
given  us  without  payment,  and  they  sold  us  fish  dried  in  the 
sun,  and  some  bowlsful  of  sour  milk,  at  a  reasonable  price. 

We  found  a  Moor  in  the  camp  who  had  previously  known  my 
father  at  Senegal,  and  who  spoke  a  little  French.  As  soon  as 
he  recognised  him,  he  cried,  'Tiens  toi  Picard  !  ni  a  pas  con 
neitre  moi  Amet  ?'  Hark  ye,  Picard,  know  you  not  Amet  ? 
We  were  all  struck  with  astonishment  at  these  French  words 
coming  from  the  mouth  of  a  Moor.  My  father  recollected 
having  employed  long  ago  a  young  goldsmith  at  Senegal,  and 
discovering  the  Moor  Amet  to  be  the  same  person,  shook  him 
by  the  hand.  After  that  good  fellow  had  been  made  acquaint- 
ed with  our  shipwreck,  and  to  what  extremities  our  unfortu- 
nate family  had  been  reduced,  he  could  not  refrain  from  tears  ; 
and  this  perhaps  was  the  first  time  a  Mussulman  had  ever 
wept  over  the  misfortunes  of  a  Christian.  Amet  was  not  sat- 
isfied with  deploring  our  hard  fate  ;  he  was  desirous  of  prov 
ing  that  he  was  generous  and  humane,  and  instantly  distributee 
among  us  a  large  quantity  of  milk  and  water  free  of  any 
charge.  He  also  raised  for  our  family  a  large  tent  of  the 
skins  of  camels,  cattle  and  sheep,  because  his  religion  would 
not  allow  him  to  lodge  with  Christians  under  the  same  roof 
The  place  appeared  very  dark,  and  the  obscurity  made  us  un- 
easy. Amet  and  our  conductors  lighted  a  large  fire  to  quiet 
us  ;  and  at  last,  bidding  us  good  night,  and  retiring  to  his  tent, 
said,  '  Sleep  in  peace  ;  the  God  of  the  Christians  is  also  the 
God  of  the  Mussulman.' 

We  had  resolved  to  quit  this  truly  hospitable  place  early  in 
the  morning  ;  but  during  the  night,  some  people  who  had  pro- 
bably too  much  money,  imagined  the  Moors  had  taken  us  to 
their  camp  to  plunder  us.  They  communicated  their  fears  to 
others,  and  pretending  that  the  Moors,  who  walked  up  and 
down  among  heir  florks,  and  cried  from  time  to  time  to  keep 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  117 

away  the  ferocious  beasts,  had  already  given  the  signal  for 
pursuing  and  murdering  us.  Instamly  a  general  panic  seized 
all  our  people,  and  they  wished  to  set  off  forthwith.  My  fa- 
ther, although  he  well  knew  the  perfidy  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Desert,  endeavored  to  assure  them  we  had  nothing  to  fear, 
because  the  Arabs  were  too  frightened  for  the  people  of  Sene- 
gal, who  would  not  fail  to  avenge  us  if  we  were  insulted  ;  but 
nothing  could  quiet  their  apprehensions,  and  we  had  to  take 
the  route  during  the  middle  of  the  night.  The  Moors  being 
soon  acquainted  with  our  fears,  made  us  all  kinds  of  protesta- 
tions ;  and  seeing  we  persisted  in  quitting  the  camp,  offered 
us  asses  to  carry  us  as  far  as  the  Senegal.  These  beasts  of 
bunien  were  hired  at  the  rate  of  12  francs  a  day,  for  each  head, 
and  we  took  our  departure  under  the  guidance  of  those  Moors 
who  had  before  conducted  us  to  the  camp.  Amet's  wife  being 
unwell,  he  could  not  accompany  us,  but  recommended  us 
strongly  to  our  guides.  My  father  was  able  to  hire  only  two 
asses  for  the  whole  of  our  family  ;  and  as  it  was  numerous,  my 
sister  Caroline,  my  cousin,  and  myself,  were  obliged  to  crawl 
along,  whilst  my  unfortunate  father  followed  in  the  suite  of  the 
caravan,  which  in  truth  went  much  quicker  than  we  did. 

A  short  distance  from  the  camp;  the  brave  and  compassion- 
ate Capt.  Begnere,  seeing  we  still  walked,  obliged  us  to  ac- 
cept of  the  ass  he  had  hired  for  himself,  saying  he  would  not 
ride  when  young  ladies  exhausted  with  fatigue,  followed  on 
foot.  The  King  afterwards  honorably  recompensed  this 
worthy  officer,  who  ceased  not  to  regard  our  unfortunate 
family  with  a  care  and  attention  I  will  never  forget. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  night,  we  travelled  in  a 
manner  sufficiently  agreeable,  mounting  alternately  the  ass  of 
Captain  Begnere. 

At  five  in  the  morning  of  the  1 1th  of  July  we  regained  the 
sea-shore.  Our  asses,  fatigued  with  the  long  journey  among 
the  sand,  ran  instantly  and  lay  down  among  the  breakers,  in 
spite  of  our  utmost  exertions  to  prevent  them.  This  caused 
several  of  us  to  take  a  bath  we  wished  not;  I  was  myself  held 
under  my  ass  in  the  water,  and  had  great  difficulty  in  saving 
one  of  my  young  brothers  who  was  floating  away.  But,  in 
the  end  as  this  incident  had  no  unfortunate  issue,  we  laugh- 
ed, and  continued  our  route,  some  on  foot  and  some  on  the  ca- 
pricious asses.  Towards  ten  o'clock,  perceiving  a  ship  out 
at  sea,  we  attached  a  white  handkerchief  to  the  muzzle  of  a 
gun,  waiving  it  in  the  air,  and  soon  had  the  satisfaction  ot 
seeing  it  was  noticed.  The  ship  having  approached  suffi- 


118  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

cicntly  near  the  coast,  the  Moors  who  ^vere  with  us  thrcx* 
themselves  into  the  sea  and  swam  to  it.  It  must  be  saul  we 
had  very  wongfully  supposed  that  these  people  had  had  a  de- 
sign against  us,  for  their  devotion  cotilc  not  appear  greater 
than  when  five  of  them  darted  through  the  waves  to  endeavor 
to  communicate  between  us  and  the  ship,  notwithstanding  it 
was  still  a  pood  quarter  of  a  league  distant  from  where  we 
stood  on  the  beach.  In  about  halfan  hour  we  saw  these  pood 
IVIoors  returning,  making  float  before  them  three  small  bar- 
rels. Arrived  on  shore,  one  of  them  pave  a  letter  to  M.  Ks- 
piau  from  JW.  Parnajon.  This  gentleman  was  the  captain  of 
the  Argus  brig,  sent  to  seek  after  the  raft,  and  to  give  us  pro- 
visions. This  letter  announced  a  small  barrel  of  biscuit,  a 
tierce  of  wine,  a  half  tierce  of  brandy,  and  a  Dutch  cheese. 
0  fortunate  event !  We  were  very  desirous  of  testifying  our 
gratitude  to  the  generous  commander  of  the  brig,  but  he  in- 
stantly set  out  and  left  us  We  staved  the  barrels  which  held 
our  small  stock  of  provisions,  and  made  a  distribution. — 
Each  of  us  had  a  biscuit,  about  a  glnss  of  wine,  a  halt' glass 
of  brandy,  and  a  small  morsel  of  cheese.  Each  drank  his 
allowance  of  wine  at  one  pulp;  the  brandy  was  not  even  de- 
spised by  the  ladies.  I  however  preferred  quantity  to  quali- 
ty, and  exchanged  my  ration  of  brandy  for  that  of  wine.  To 
describe  our  joy,  while  takmp  this  repast,  is  impossible.  K.x- 
posed  to  the  fierce  rays  of  a  vertical  sun;  exhausted  by  a  long 
train  of  suffering;  deprived  for  a  long  while,  the  use  of  any 
kind  of  spirituous  liquors,  when  our  portions  ef  water,  wine 
and  brandy  mingled  in  our  stomachs  we  became  like  insane 
people. 

Life,  which  had  lately  been  a  great  burden,  now  became  pre- 
cious to  us.  Foreheads,  lowering  s'H  sulky,  began  to  un- 
wrinkle;  enemies  became  most  brotherly;  the  avaricious  en- 
deavored to  forget  their  selfishness  and  cupidity;  the  children 
smiled  for  the  first  time  since  our  shipwreck;  in  a  word,  every 
one  seemed  to  be  born  again  from  a  condition,  melancholy 
and  dejected.  I  even  believe  the  sailors  srng  the  praises  of 
their  mistresses. 

This  journey  was  the  most  fortunate  for  us.  Some  short 
while  after  our  delicious  meal,  we  saw  several  AToors  ap- 
proaching, who  brought  milk  and  butter,  so  that  ne  ha**  re- 
freshments in  abundance.  It  is  true  we  paid  a  Utt'e  dea"  for 
them;  the  glass  of  milk  cost  not  less  than  three  francs  *f 
ter  reposing  about  three  hours,  our  caravan  proceeded  o  •* 
route. 


FRENCH    FRIGATE     .MEDUSA.  119 

About  six  in  the  evening,  my  father  finding  himself  ez- 
Iremeiy  fatigued,  wished  to  rest  himself.  We  allowed  the 
caravan  to  move  on,  while  my  step-mother  and  myself  re- 
mained near  him,  and  the  rest  of  the  family  followed  with 
their  asses.  We  all  three  soon  fell  asleep.  When  we  awoke 
vi'e  were  astonished  at  not  seeing  our  companions.  The  sun 
was  sinking  in  the  west.  We  saw  several  Moors  approach- 
ing us,  mounted  on  camels;  and  my  father  reproached  him- 
self for  having  slept  so  long. 

Their  appearance  gave  us  great  uneasiness,  and  we  wished 
much  to  escape  from  them,  but  my  step-mother  and  myself 
fell  quite  exhausted.  The  Moors  with  long  beards  having 
come  quite  close  to  us,  one  of  them  alighted  and  addressed 
us  in  the  following  words.  "  Be  comforted,  ladies;  under 
the  costume  of  an  Arab,  you  see  an  Englishman  who  is  desi- 
rous of  serving  you.  Having  heard  at  Senegal  that  French- 
men were  thrown  ashore  upon  these  deserts,  I  thought  my 
presence  might  be  of  some  service  to  them,  as  I  was  acquaint- 
ed with  several  of  the  princes  of  this  arid  country."  These 
noble  words  from  the  mouth  of  a  man  we  had  at  first  taken  tr 
be  a  Moor,  instantly  quieted  our  fears. 

Recovering  from  our  fright,  we  rose  and  expressed  to  the 
philanthropic  Englishman  the  gratitude  we  felt.  Mr.  Garnet, 
the  name  of  the  generous  Briton,  told  us  that  our  caravan 
which  he  had  met.,  waited  for  us  at  about  the  distance  of  twr 
leagues.  He  then  gave  us  some  biscuit,  which  we  eat;  and 
we  then  set  ofF  together  to  join  our  companions.  Mr.  Garnet 
wished  us  to  mount  his  camels,  but  my  step-mother  and  my- 
self, being  unable  to  persuade  ourselves  we  could  sit  securely 
on  their  hairy  haunches,  continued  to  walk  on  the  moist  rand, 
whilst  my  father,  Mr.  Garnet  and  the  Moors  who  accompani- 
ed him,  proceeded  on  the  camels.  We  soon  reached  a  little 
river,  called  in  the  country  Marigot  des  Maringoins.  We 
wished  to  drink  of  it,  but  found  it  as  salt  as  the  sea.  Mr 
Garnet  desired  us  to  have  patience,  and  we  should  find  some 
at  the  place  where  our  caravan  waited.  We  forded  that  river 
knee  deep. 

At  last,  having  walked  about  an  hour,  we  rejoined -our  com- 
panions, who  had  found  several  wells  of  fresh  water.  It  was 
resolved  to  pass  the  night  in  this  place,  which  seemed  less 
arid  than  any  we  saw  near  us.  The  soldiers,  being  requested 
to  go  and  seek  wood  to  light  a  fire,  for  the  purpose  of  fright- 
ening the  ferocious  beasts  which  were  heard  roaring  around 
us.  refused-  but  Mr  Garnet  assured  us,  that  the  Moors  wh« 


120  FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUSA. 

were  with  him  knew  \rell  how  to  keep  all  such  intruders  froa 
our  camp.  In  truth,  during  the  whole  of  the  night  these  good 
Arabs  promenaded  round  our  caravan,  uttering  cries  at  inter- 
vals like  those  we  had  heard  in  the  camp  of  the  generous 
Amet. 

We  passed  a  very  good  night,  and  at  four  in  the  morning 
continued  our  route  -along  the  shore,  Mr.  Garnet  left  us  to 
endeavor  to  procure  some  provisions.  Till  then  our  asses 
had  been  quite  docile;  but,  annoyed  with  their  riders  so  long 
upon  their  backs,  they  refused  to  go  forward.  A  n't  took  pos- 
session of  them,  and  all  at  the  same  instant  threw  their  riders 
on  the  ground,  or  among  the  bushes.  The  Moors,  however, 
who  accompanied  us,  assisted  to  catch  our  capricious  animals, 
who  had  nearly  scampered  off,  and  replaced  us  on  the  hard 
backs  of  these  headstrong  creatures.  At  noon  the  heat  be- 
came so  violent,  that  even  the  Moors  themselves  bore  It  with 
difficulty.  We  then  determined  on  finding  some  shade  be- 
hind the  high  mounds  of  sand  which  appeared  in  the  interior; 
but  how  were  we  to  reach  them!  The  sands  could  not  be 
hotter.  We  had  been  obliged  to  leave  our  asses  on  the  shore. 
for  they  would  neither  advance  nor  recede.  The  greater 
part  of  us  had  neither  shoes  nor  hats;  notwithstanding  we 
were  obliged  to  go  forward  almost  a  long  league  to  find  a  lit- 
tle shade.  The  heat  reflected  by  the  sands  of  the  Desert 
could  be  compared  to  nothing  but  the  mouth  of  an  oven  at  the 
moment  of  drawing  out  the  bread;  nevertheless,  we  endured 
it;  but  not  without  cursing  those  who  had  been  the  occasion 
of  all  our  misfortunes.  Arrived  behind  the  heights  for  which 
we  searched,  we  stretched  ourselves  under  the  Miriios-gom- 
mier,  (the  acacia  of  the  Desert),  several  broke  branches  of  the 
asclepia  (swallow-wort),  and  made  themselves  a  shade.  But 
whether  from  want  of  air,  or  the  heat  of  the  ground  on  which 
we  were  seated,  we  were  nearly  all  suffocated.  I  thought 
my  last  hour  was  come.  Already  my  eyes  saw  nothing  but  a 
dark  cloud,  when  a  person  of  the  name  of  Berner,  who  was  to 
nave  been  a  smith  at  Senegal,  gave  me  a  boot  containing  some 
muddy  water,  which  he  had  had  the  precaution  to  keep.  I 
seized  the  elastic  vase,  and  hastened  to  swallow  the  liquid  in 
large  draughts. 

One  of  my  companions  equally  tormented  w»th  thirst,  en- 
vious of  the  pleasure  I  seemed  to  feel,  and  which  I  felt  effec- 
ually,  drew  the  foot  from  the  boot,  and  seized  it  in  his  turn, 
but  it  availed  him  nothing.  The  water  which  remained  wa? 
»o  disgusting,  that  he  could  not  drink  it,  and  spilled  it  on  (he 


FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUIA.  12  i 

ground.  Captain  Begnere,  who  was  present,  judging,  by  the 
water  which  fell,  how  loathsome  must  that  have  been  which  I 
had  drank,  offered  me  some  crumbs  of  biscuit,  which  he  had 
kept  most  carefully  in  his  pocket.  I  chewed  that  mixture  of 
bread,  dust  and  tobacco,  but  I  could  not  swallow  it,  and  gave 
it  all  masticated  to  one  of  my  young  brothers,  who  had  fallen 
from  inanimation. 

We  were  about  to  quit  this  furnace,  when  we  saw  our  gen- 
erous Englishman  approaching,  who  brought  us  provisions. — 
At  this  sight  I  felt  my  strength  revive,  and  ceased  to  desire 
death,  which  I  had  before  called  on  to  release  me  from  my 
sufferings.  Several  Moors  accompanied  Mr.  Garnet,  and  ev- 
ery one  was  loaded.  On  their  arrival  we  had  water,  with 
rice  and  dried  fish  in  abundance.  Every  one  drank  his  al- 
lowance of  water,  but  had  not  ability  to  eat,  although  the  rice 
was  excellent.  We  were  all  anxious  to  return  to  the  sea, 
that  we  might  bathe  ourselves,  and  the  caravan  put  itself  on 
the  road  to  the  breakers  of  Sahara.  After  an  hour's  march 
of  great  suffering,  we  regained  the  shore,  as  well  as  our  ass- 
es, who  were  lying  in  the  water.  We  rushed  among  the 
waves,  and  after  a  bath  of  half  an  hour,  we  reposed  ourselves 
upon  the  beach.  My  cousin  and  I  went  to  stretch  ourselves 
upon  a  small  rising  ground,  where  we  were  shaded  with  some 
old  clothes  which  we  had  with  us.  My  cousin  was  clad  in  an 
officer's  uniform,  the  lace  of  which  strongly  attracted  the 
eyes  of  Mr.  Garnet's  Moors.  Scarcely  had  we  lam  down, 
when  one  of  them,  thinking  we  were  asleep,  came  to  endeav- 
or to  steal  it;  but  seeing  we  were  awake,  consented  himself 
by  looking  at  us  very  steadily. 

About  three  in  the  morning,  a  northwest  wind  having 
sprang  up  and  a  little  refreshed  us,  our  caravan  continued  its 
route;  our  generous  Englishman  again  taking  the  task  of 
procuring  us  provisions.  At  four  o'clock  the  sky  became 
overcast,  and  we  heard  thunder  in  the  distance.  We  all  ex- 
pected a  great  tempest,  which  happily  did  not  take  place. — 
Near  seven  we  reached  the  spot  where  we  were  to  wait  for 
Mr.  Garnet,  who  came  to  us  with  a  bullock  he  had  purchased. 
Then  quitting  the  shore,  we  went  into  the  interior  to  seek  a 
place  to  cook  our  supper.  We  fixed  our  camp  beside  a 
small  wood  of  acacias,  near  to  which  were  several  wells  or 
cisferns  of  fresh  water.  Our  ox  was  instantly  killed,  skinned, 
cut  to  pieces  and  distributed.  A  huge  fire  was  kindled,  and 
each  was  occupied  in  dressing  his  meal.  At  this  time  I 
caught  a  smart  fever;  notwithstanding  I  could  not  help  laugh- 

II  6 


122  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.. 

ing  at  seeing  every  one  seated  round  a  large  fire  holding  hia 
piece  of  beef  on  the  point  of  his  bayonet,  a  sabre  or  some 
sharp-pointed  stick.  The  flickering  of  the  flames  on  the  dif- 
ferent faces,  sun-burned  and  covered  with  long  beards,  ren- 
dered more  visible  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  joined  to  the 
noise  of  the  waves  and  the  roaring  of  ferocious  beasts,  which 
we  heard  in  the  distance,  presented  a  spectacle  at  once  laugh- 
able and  imposing. 

While  these  thoughts  were  passing  across  my  mind,  sleep 
overpowered  my  senses.  Being  awakened  in  the  middle  of 
the  night,  I  found  my  portion  of  beef  in  the  shoes  which  an 
old  sailor  had  lent  me  for  walking  among  the  thorns,  although 
it  was  a  little  burned  and  smelt  strongly  of  the  dish  in  which 
it  was  contained,  I  eat  a  good  part  of  it,  and  gave  the  rest  to 
my  friend  the  sailor.  That  seaman,  seeing  I  was  ill,  offered 
to  exchange  my  meat  for  some  which  he  had  had  the  address 
to  boil  in  a  small  tin-box.  I  prayed  him  to  give  me  a  little 
water  if  he  had  any,  and  he  instantly  went  and  fetched  me 
some  in  his  hat.  My  thirst  was  so  great  that  I  drank  it  out 
of  his  nasty  hat  without  any  repugnance. 

At  nine  o'clock  we  met  upon  the  shore  a  large  flock  herd- 
ed by  young  Moors.  These  shepherds  sold  us  milk,  and  one 
of  them  offered  to  lend  my  father  an  ass  for  a  knife  which  he 
had  seen  him  take  out  of  his  pocket.  My  father  having  ac- 
cepted the  proposal,  the  Moor  left  his  companion  to  accom- 
pany us  as  far  as  Senegal,  from  which  we  were  yet  two  good 
leagues. 

Suddenly  we  left  the  shore.  Our  companions  appearing 
quite  transported  with  joy,  some  of  us  ran  forward,  and  hav- 
ing gained  a  slight  rising  ground,  discovered  the  Senegal  at 
no  great  distance. 

We  hastened  our  march,  and  for  the  first  time  since  our 
shipwreck,  a  smiling  picture  presented  itself  to  our  view. — 
The  trees  always  green,  with  which  that  noble  river  is  shaded, 
tr">  humming  birds,  the  red  birds,  the  paroquets,  the  prome- 
rops,  tec.  who  flitted  among  their  long  yieUUng  branches, 
caused  in  us  emotions  difficult  to  express.  We  could  not  sa- 
tiate our  eyes  with  gazing  on  the  beauties  of  'his  place,  ver- 
dure beinj;  so  enchanting  to  the  sight,  especially  after  having 
travelled  through  the  Desert.  Before  reaching  the  river  we 
had  to  descend  a  little  hill  covered  with  thorny  bushes.  My 
ass  stumbling  threw  me  into  the  midst  of  one,  and  I  tore  mv- 
self  in  several  places,  but  was  easily  consoled  when  I  at 
length  found  myself  on  the  banks  of  a  river  of  fresh  water 


FTMCATF     MEDUSA.  123 

Every  one  having  quenched  his  thirst,  we  stretched  ourselves 
under  the  Shade  of  a  small  grove,  while  the  beneficent  Mr 
Garnet  and  two  of  our  officers  set  forward  to  Senegal  to  an- 
nounce our  arrival,  and  to  get  us  hoats.  In  the  meanwhile 
some  took  a  little  repose,  and  others  were  engaged  in  dress- 
ing the  wounds  with  which  they  were  covered. 

At  two  in  the  afternoon,  we  saw  a  small  boat  beating 
against  the  current  of  the  stream  with  oars.  It  soon  reached 
the  spot  where  we  were.  Two  Europeans  landed,  salut- 
ed our  caravans,  and  inquired  for  my  father.  One  of  them 
said  he  came  on  the  part  of  MM.  Artigue  and  Laboure,  in- 
habitants of  Senegal,  to  offer  assistance  to  our  family;  the 
other  added,  that  he  had  not  waited  for  the  boats  which  were 
getting  ready  for  us  at  the  island  of  St.  Louis,  knowing  too 
well  what  would  be  our  need.  We  were  desirous  of  thank- 
ing them,  but  they  instantly  ran  off  to  the  boat  and  brought 
us  provisions,  which  my  father's  old  friends  had  sent  him. — 
They  placed  before  us  a  large  basket  containing  several 
loaves,  cheese,  a  bottle  of  Madeira,  a  bottle  of  filtered  water 
and  dresses  for  my  father.  Every  one,  who,  during  dur 
journey,  had  taken  any  interest  in  our  unfortunate  family,  and 
especially  the  brave  Captain  Begnere,  had  a  share  of  our 
provisions.  \Ve  experienced  a  real  satisfaction  in  partaking 
with  them,  and  giving  them  this  small  mark  of  our  gratitude. 

A  young  aspirant  of  marine,  who  had  refused  us  a  glass  of 
water  in  the  Desert,  pressed  with  hunger,  begged  of  us  some 
bread;  he  got  it,  also  a  small  glass  of  Madeira. 

It  was  four  o'clock  before  the  boats  of  the  government  ar- 
rived, and  we  all  embarked.  Biscuit  and  wine  were  found  in 
each  of  them,  and  all  were  refreshed. 

That  in  which  were  our  family  was  commanded  by  M.  Ar- 
tigue, captain  of  the  port,  and  one  of  those  who  had  sent  us 
provisions.  My  father  and  he  embraced  as  two  old  friends 
who  had  not  seen  one  another  for  eight  years,  and  congratu- 
lated themselves  that  they  had  been  permitted  to  meet  once 
more  beforB  they  died.  We  had  already  made  a  league  upon 
the  river  when  a  young  navy  clerk  (M.  Mollien)  was  suddenly 
taken  ill.  AVe  put  him  ashore,  and  left  him  to  the  care  of  a 
negro  to  conduct  him  to  Senegal  when  he  should  recover. 

It  would  be  in  vain  for  me  to  paint  the  various  emotions  of 
my  mind  at  that  delicious  moment.  I  am  bold  to  say  ail  the 
colony,  if  we  accept  MM.  Schmaltz  and  Lacbaumareys,  were 
at  the  port  to  receive  us  from  our  boats.  M.  Artigue  g  >ing 
on  shore  first  to  acquint  the  English  governor  of  our  arrival, 


(94  FRENCH    FRIGATE     MEDUSA. 

rnct  him  coming  to   us  on  horseback,  followed  by  our  genei 
ous  conductor  Mr.  Garnet,  and  several  superior  officers. — 
We   went  on  shore  carrying  our  brothers  and  sisters  in  ou: 
arms.     My  father  presented   us  to  the  English  governor,  who 
had  alighted;  he   appeared  to  be  sensibly  affected  with  our 
misfortunes,  the  females  and  children  chiefly  excited  his  com- 
miseration.    And   the  native   inhabitants  and  Europeans  ten- 
derly shook  the  hands  of  the  unfortunate  people;  the  negro 
slaves  even  seemed  to  deplore  our  disastrous  fate. 

The  governor  placed  the  most  sickly  of  our  companions  in 
a  hospital;  various  inhabitants  of  the  colony  received  others 
iiito  their  houses;  I\l.  Artigue  obligingly  took  charge  of  our 
family.  Arriving  at  his  house  we  there  found  his  wife,  two 
ladies  and  an  English  lady,  who  begged  to  be  allowed  to  as- 
sist us.  Taking  my  sister  Caroline  and  myself,  she  conducted 
us  to  her  house,  and  presented  us  to  her  husband,  who  re- 
ceived us  in  the  most  affable  manner;  after  which  she  led  us 
to  her  dressing-room,  where  we  were  combed,  cleansed,  and 
dressed  by  the  domestic  negresses,  and  were  most  obligingly 
furnished  with  linen  from  her  own  wardrobe,  the  whiteness  of 
which  was  strongly  contrasted  with  our  sable  countenances 
In  the  midst  of  my  misfortunes  my  soul  had  preserved  all  its 
strength;  but  this  sudden  change  of  situation  affected  me  so 
much,  that  I  thought  my  intellectual  faculties  were  forsaking 
me.  We  were  so  confused  by  our  agitation,  that  we  scarcely 
heard  the  questions  which  were  put  to  us,  having  constantly  be- 
fore our  eyes  the  foaming  waves  and  the  immense  tract  ol 
sand  over  which  we  had  passed. 


The  following  is  the  substance,  abridged  from  MM  Correard 
and  Savigny,  of  what  took  place  on  the  raft  during  thirteen 
days  before  the  sufferers  were  taken  up  by  the  Argus 
Brig. 

After  the  boats  had  disappeared,  the  consfei nation  becamo 
extreme.     All  the   horrors  of  thirst  and  famine  passed  befor* 
our  imagination;  besides,  we  had  to  contend  with  a  treacho 
ous  element,  which  already  covered  the  half  of  our  bodies.- 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  l& 

The  deep  stupor  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors  instantly  change* 
o  despair.  All  saw  their  inevitable  destruction,  and  express 
ed  by  t.1  eir  moans  the  dark  thoughts  which  brooded  in  thei. 
minds.  Our  words  were  at  first  unavailing  to  quiet  th.ei, 
fears,  which  we  participated  with  them,  but  which  a  greatei 
strength  of  mind  enabled  us  to  dissemble.  At  last  an  unmov- 
ed countenance,  and  our  proffered  consolations,  quieted  then 
by  degrees,  but  could  not  entirely  dissipate  the  terror  witfr 
which  tl.ey  were  seized 

When  tranquihty  was  a  little  restored,  we  began  to  search 
about  the  raft  for  the  charts,  the  compass,  and  the  anchor, 
which  we  presumed  had  been  placed  upon  it,  after  what  we 
had  been  told  at  the  time  of  quitting  the  frigate. 

These  things  of  the  first  importance,  had  not  been  placed 
upon  our  machine.  Above  all,  the  want  of  a  compass  the 
most  alarmed  us,  and  we  gave  vent  to  our  rage  and  vengeance. 
M.  Correard  then  remembered  he  had  seen  one  in  the  hands 
of  the  principal  workmen  under  his  command;  he  spoke  to 
the  man,  who  replied,  'Yes,  yes,  I  have  it  with  me.'  This 
information  transported  us  with  joy,  and  we  believed  that  our 
safety  depended  upon  this  futile  resource;  it  was  about  the 
size  of  a  crown-piece,  and  very  incorrect.  Those  who  have 
not  been  in  situations  in  which  their  existence  was  exposed  to 
extreme  peril,  can  have  but  a  faint  knowledge  of  the  price 
one  attaches  then  to  the  simplest  objects — with  what  avidity 
one  seizes  the  slightest  means  capable  of  mitigating  the  rigor 
of  that  fate  against  which  they  contend.  The  compass  was 
given  to  the  commander  of  the  raft,  but  an  accident  deprived 
us  of  it  forever;  it  fell  and  disappeared  between  the  pieces  of 
wood  which  formed  our  machine.  We  had  kept  it  but  a  few 
hours,  and,  after  its  loss,  had  nothing  to  guide  us  but  the  ri- 
sing and  sitting  of  the  sun. 

We  had  all  gone  afloat  without  taking  any  food.  Hunger 
beginning  to  be  imperiously  felt,  we  mixed  our  paste  of  sea- 
biscuit  with  a  little  wine,  and  distributed  it  thus  prepared. — 
Such  was  our  first  meal,  and  the  best  we  had,  during  our  stay 
upon  the  raft. 

An  order,  according  to  our  numbers,  was  established  for 
the  distribution  of  our  miserable  provisions.  The  ration  of 
wine  was  fixed  at  three  quarters  a  day.  We  will  speak  no 
more  of  the  biscuit,  it  having  been  entirely  consumed  at  the 
first  distribution.  The  day  passed  away  sufficiently  tranquil. 
We  talked  of  the  means  by  which  we  would  save  ourselves; 
we  spoke  of  it  as  a  certain  circumstance,  which  reanimat«rf 


126  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA 

our  courage;  and  we  sustained  that  of  the  soldiers,  by  cher- 
ishing in  them  the  hope  of  being  able,  in  a  short  time,  to  re- 
venge themselves  on  those  who  had  bandoned  us.  This 
hope  of  vengeance,  it  must  be  avowed,  equally  animated  us 
all;  and  we  poured  out  a  thousand  imprecations  against  those 
who  had  left  us  a  prey  to  so  much  misery  and  danger. 

The  officer  who  commanded  the  raft  being  unable  to  move, 
M.  Savigny  took  upon  himself  the  duty  of  erecting  the  mast. 
He  caused  them  to  cut  in  two  one  of  the  poles  of  the  fri- 
gate's masts,  and  fixed  it  with  the  rope  which  had  served  to 
tow  us,  and  of  which  we  made  stays  and  shrouds.  It  was 
placed  on  the  anterior  third  of  the  raft.  We  put  up  for  a  sail 
(he  main-top-gallant,  which  trimmed  very  well,  but  was  of 
very  little  use,  except  when  the  wind  served  from  behind;  and 
to  keep  the  raft  in  this  course,  we  were  obliged  to  trim  the 
sail  ns  if  the  breeze  blew  athwart  us. 

In  the  evening,  our  hearts  and  our  prayers,  by  a  feeling 
natural  to  the  unfortunate,  were  turned  towards  Heaven. — 
Surrounded  by  inevitable  dangers,  we  addressed  that  invisi- 
ble Being  who  has  established,  and  who  maintains  the  order 
of  the  universe.  Our  vows  were  fervent,  and  we  experienc- 
ed from  our  prayers  the  cheering  influence  of  hope.  It  is 
necessary  to  have  been  in  similar  situations,  before  one  can 
rightly  imagine  what  a  charm  is  the  sublime  idea  of  a  God 
protecting  the  unfortunate  to  the  heart  of  the  sufferer 

One  consoling  thought  still  soothed  our  imaginations.  We 
persuaded  ourselves  that  the  little  divisions  had  gone  to  the 
isle  of  Arguin,  and  that  after  it  had  set  a  part  o4,'it«  people 
on  shore,  the  rest  would  return  to  our  assistance;  we  endeav 
ored  to  impress  this  idea  on  our  soldiers  and  sailors,  which 
quieted  them.  The  night  came  without  our  hope  being  real- 
ized; the  wind  freshened,  and  the  sea  was  considerably  swel- 
led. What  a  horrible  night!  The  thought  of  seeing  the 
boats  on  the  morrow,  a  little  consoled  our  men,  the  greater 
part  of  whom,  being  unaccustomed  to  the  sea,  fell  on  one  an- 
ct>.er  at  each  movement  of  the  raft.  INI.  Savigny,  seconded 
•sj  some  people  who  still  preserved  their  presence  of  mind 
amidst  the  disorder,  stretched  cords  across  the  raft,  by  which 
tli3  men  held,  and  were  better  able  to  resist  the  swell  of  the 
sea;  some  were  even  obliged  to  fasten  themselves.  In  the 
middle  of  the  night  the  weather  was  very  rough;  huge  wavee 
burst  upon  us.  sometimes  overturning  us  with  great  violence 
The  cries  of  the  men,  mingled  with  the  flood,  whilst  the  ter 
rible  sea  raised  us  at  every  instant  from  the  raft,  and  threaf 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  12** 

cncd  to  sweep  us  away.  This  scene  was  rendered  still  more 
errible,  by  the  horrors  inspired  by  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
Suddenly  we  believed  we  saw  fires  in  the  distance  at  inter- 
vals. 

We  had  had  the  precaution  to  hang  at  the  top  of  the  mast, 
the  gun-powder  and  pistols  which  we  had  brought  from  the 
frigate.  We  made  signals  by  burning  a  large  quantity  of 
cartridges;  we  even  fired  some  pistols,  but  it  seems  the  fire 
we  saw,  was  nothing  but  an  error  of  vision,  or,  perhaps, 
nothing  more  than  the  sparkling  of  the  waves. 

We  struggled  with  death  during  the  whole  of  the  night, 
holding  firmly  by  the  ropes  which  were  made  very  secure. — 
Tossed  by  the  waves  from  the  back  to  the  front,  and  from  the 
front  to  the  back,  and  sometimes  precipitated  into  the  sea; 
floating  between  life  and  death,  mourning  our  misfortunes, 
certain  cf  perishing;  we  disputed,  nevertheless,  the  remain- 
der of  our  existence,  with  that  cruel  element  which  threaten- 
ed to  engulf  us.  Such  was  our  condition  till  daybreak.  At 
every  instant  were  heard  the  lamentable  cries  of  the  soldiers 
and  sailors;  they  prepared  for  death,  bidding  farewell  to  one 
another,  imploring  the  protection  of  Heaven,  and  addressing 
fervent  prayers  to  God.  Every  one  made  vows  to  him,  in 
spite  of  the  certainty  of  never  being  able  to  accomplish  them. 
Frightful  situation!  How  is  it  possible  to  have  any  idea  of  it, 
which  will  not  fail  far  short  of  the  reality! 

Towards  seven  in  the  morning  the  sea  fell  a  little,  the 
wind  blew  with  less  fury;  but  what  a  scene  presented  itself 
to  our  view!  Ten  or  twelve  unfortunates,  having  their  infe- 
rior extremities  fixed  in  the  openings  between  the  pieces  of 
the  raft,  had  perished  by  being  unable  to  disenage  them- 
selves; several  others  were  swept  away  by  the  violence  of 
the  sea.  At  the  hour  of  repast,  we  took  the  numbers  anew; 
we  had  lost  twenty  men.  We  will  not  affirm  that  this  was  the 
exact  number;  for  we  perceived  some  soldiers  who,  to  have 
more  than  their  share,  took  rations  for  two,  and  even  three; 
we  were  so  huddled  together  that  we  found  it  absolutely  im- 
possible to  prevent  this  abuse. 

In  the  midst  of  these  horrors  a  touching  scene  of  filial  pie- 
ty drew  our  tears.  Two  young  men  raised  and  recognized 
their  father,  who  had  fallen,  and  was  lying  insensible  among 
the  feet  of  the  people.  They  believed  him  at  first  dead,  and 
their  despair  was  expressed  in  the/most  affecting  manner.  It 
was  perceived,  however,  that  he  still  breathed,  and  every  as- 
giatauce  was  rendered  for  his  recovery  in  our  power.  H« 


t8  FRENCH    FR1AATK     MEDUSA 

slowly  revived,  and  was  restored  to  life,  and  to  the  prayers  of 
his  sons,  who  supported  him  closely  folded  in  their  arms. — 
Whilst  our  hearts  were  softened  by  this  affecting  episode  in 
our  melancholy  adventures,  we  had  soon  to  witness  the  sad 
spectacle  of  a  dark  contrast.  Two  ship-boys  and  a  baker 
feared  not  to  seek  death,  and  threw  themselves  into  the  sea, 
after  having  bid  farewell  to  their  companions  in  misfortune. 
Already  the  minds  of  our  people  were  singularly  altered; 
some  believed  that  they  saw  land,  others  ships  which  were 
coming  to  save  us;  all  talked  aloud  of  their  fallacious  visions 

We  lamented  the  loss  of  our  unfortunate  companions.  At 
this  moment  we  were  far  from  anticipating  the  still  more  ter- 
rible scene  which  took  place  on  the  following  night;  far  from 
that,  we  enjoyed  a  positive  satisfaction  so  well  were  we  per- 
suaded that  the  boats  would  return  to  our  assistance.  The 
day  was  fine,  and  the  most  perfect  tranquility  reigned  all  the 
while  on  our  raft.  The  evening  came  and  no  boats  appeared. 
Despondency  began  again  to  seize  our  men,  and  then  a  spirit 
of  insubordination  manifested  itself  in  cries  of  rage.  The 
voice  of  the  officers  was  entirely  disregarded.  Night  fell 
rapidly  in,  the  sky  was  obscured  by  dark  clouds;  the  wind 
which,  during  the  whole  day,  had  blown  rather  violently,  be- 
came furious  and  swelled  the  sea,  which  in  an  instant  became 
very  rough. 

The  preceding  night  had  been  frightful,  but  this  was  more 
so.  Mountains  of  water  covered  us  at  every  instant,  and 
burst  with  fury  into  the  midst  of  us.  Very  fortunately  we 
had  the  wind  from  behind,  and  the  strongest  of  the  sea  was  a 
little  broken  by  the  rapidity  with  which  we  were  driven  be- 
fore it.  We  were  impelled  towards  the  land.  The  men, 
from  the  violence  of  the  sea,  were  hurried  from  the  back  to 
the  front;  we  were  obliged  to  keep  to  the  centre,  the  firmest 
part  of  the  raft,  and  those  who  could  not  get  there  almost  all 
perished.  Before  and  behind  the  waves  dashed  impetuously, 
and  swept  away  the  men  in  spite  of  all  their  resistance.  At 
the  centre  the  pressure  was  such,  that  some  unfortunates 
were  suffocated  by  the  weight  of  their  comrades,  who  fell  upon 
them  at  every  instant.  The  officers  kept  by  the  foot  of  the 
little  mast,  and  were  obliged  every  moment  to  call  to  those 
around  them  to  go  to  the  one  or  the  other  side  to  avoid  the 
waves;  for  the  sea  coming  nearly  athwart  us,  gave  our  raft 
nearly  a  perpendicular  position,  to  counteract  which,  they 
were  forced  to  throw  themselves  upon  the  side  raised  by  the 
•ea 


rniOATK   MEDC&A-  lit 

The  soldiers  and  sailors,  frightened  by  the  presence  of  al- 
most inevitable  clanger,  doubted  not  that  they  had  reached  their 
last  hour.  Firmly  believing  they  were  lost,  they  resolved  to 
soothe  their  last  moments  by  Drinking  till  they  lost  their  sens- 
es. \Ve  had  no  po\ver  to  oppose  this  disorder.  They  seized 
a  cask  which  was  in  the  centre  of  the  laft,  made  a  little  hole 
in  the  end  of  it,  and,  with  small  tin  cups,  took  each  a  pretty 
!arjje  quantity;  but  they  were  obliged  to  cease,  for  the  sea 
water  rushed  into  the  hole  they  had  made.  The  fumes  of  the 
wine  failed  not  to  disorder  their  brains,  already  weakened  by 
the  presence  of  danger  and  want  of  food.  Thus  excited, 
these  men  became  deaf  to  the  voice  of  reason.  They  wish- 
ed to  involve,  in  one  common  ruin,  all  their  companions  in 
misfortune.  They  avowedly  expressed  their  intention  of  free- 
ing themselves  from  their  officers,  who  they  said,  wished  to 
oppose  their  design;  and  then  to  destroy  the  raft,  by  cutting 
the  ropes  which  united  its  different  parts.  Immediately  after 
they  resolved  to  put  their  plans  into  execution.  One  of  them 
advanced  upon  the  side  of  the  raft  with  a  boarding  axe,  and 
began  to  cut  the  cords.  This  was  the  signal  of  revolt.  We 
stepped  forward  to  prevent  these  insane  mortals,  and  he  who 
was  armed  with  the  hatchet,  with  which  he  even  threatened 
an  officer,  fell  the  first  victim;  a  stroke  of  a  sabre  terminated 
his  existence. 

This  man  was  an  Asiatic,  and  a  soldier  in  a  colonial  regi- 
ment. Of  a  colossal  stature,  short  hair,  a  nose  extremely 
largej  an  enormous  mouth  and  dark  complexion,  he  made  a 
most  hideous  appearance.  At  first  he  had  placed  himself  in 
the  middle  of  the  raft,  and,  at  each  blow  of  his  fist,  knocked 
down  every  one  who  opposed  him;  he  inspired  the  greatest 
terror,  and  none  durst  approach  him.  Had  there  been  six 
such,  our  destruction  would  have  been  certain. 

Some  men  anxious  to  prolong  their  existence,  armed  and 
united  themselves  with  those  who  wished  to  preserve  the  raft; 
among  this  number  were  some  sabalte/n  officers  and  many 
passengers.  The  rebels  drew  their  sabres,  and  those  who 
had  none  armed  themselves  with  knives.  They  advanced  in 
a  determined  manner  upon  us;  we  stood  on  our  defence;  the 
attack  commenced.  Animated  by  despair,  one  of  them  aimed 
a  stroke  at  an  officer;  the  rebel  instantly  fell,  pierced  with 
wounds.  This  firmness  awed  them  for  an  instant,  but  dimin- 
ished nothing  of  their  rage.  They  ceased  to  advance,  and 
withdrew,  presenting  to  us  a  front  bristling  with  sabres  and 
bayonets,  to  the  back  part  of  the  raft  to  execute  their  plan.-— 
VOL.  u.  6* 


130  FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

One  of  them  feigned  to  rest  himself  on  the  small  railings  OB 
the  sides  of  the  raft,  and  with  a  knife  began  cutting  the  cords 
Being  told  by  a  servant,  one  of  us  sprung  upon  him.  A  sol 
dier,  wishing  to  defend  him,  struck  at  the  officer  with  his  knife, 
which  only  pierced  his  coat;  the  officer  wheeled  round,  seiz- 
ed his  adversary,  and  threw  both  him  and  his  comrade  into 
the  sea. 

There  had  been  as  yet  but  partial  affairs;  the  combat  be- 
came general.  Some  one  cried  to  lower  the  sail;  a  crowd  of 
infuriated  mortals  threw  themselves  in  an  instant  upon  the 
hauiyards  and  the  shrouds,  and  cut  them.  The  fall  of  the 
mast  almost  broke  the  thigh  of  a  captain  of  infantry,  who  fell 
insensible.  He  was  seized  by  the  soldiers,  who  threw  him 
into  the  sea.  We  saved  him,  and  placed  him  on  a  barrel, 
whence  he  was  taken  by  the  rebels,  who  wished  to  put  out 
his  eyes  with  a  penknife.  Exasperated  by  so  much  brutality, 
we  no  longer  restrained  ourselves,  but  pushed  in  upon  them, 
and  charged  them  with  fury.  Sword  in  hand  we  traversed 
the  line  which  the  soldiers  had  formed,  and  many  paid  with 
their  lives  the  errors  of  their  revolt.  Various  passengers, 
during  these  cruel  moments,  evinced  the  greatest  courage 
and  coolness. 

M.  Correard  fell  into  a  sort  of  swoon;  but  hearing  at  ev- 
ery instant  the  cries,  To  Arms!  with  us  comrades;  we  are 
lost!  joined  with  the  groans  and  imprecations  of  the  wounded 
and  dying,  was  soon  roused  from  his  lethargy.  All. this  hor- 
rible tumult  speedily  made  him  comprehend  how  necessary  it 
was  to  be  upon  his  guard.  Armed  with  his  sabre,  he  gather- 
ed together  some  of  his  workmen  on  the  front  of  the  rait,  and 
there  charged  them  to  hurt  no  one,  unless  they  were  attack 
ed.  He  almost  always  remained  with  them;  and  several 
times  they  had  to  defend  themselves  against  the  rebels,  who, 
swimming  round  to  that  point  of  the  raft,  placed  M.  Correard 
and  his  little  troop  between  two  dangers,  and  made  their  posi- 
tion very  difficult  to  defend.  At  every  instant  he  was  oppos- 
ed to  men  armed  with  knives,  sabres  and  bayonets.  Many 
had  carabines  which  they  wielded  as  clubs.  Every  eflbrt 
was  made  to  stop  them,  by  holding  them  off  at  the  point  of 
their  swords;  but,  in  spite  of  the  repugnance  they  experienc- 
ed in  fighting  with  their  wretched  countrymen,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  use  their  arms  without  mercy.  Many  of  the  muti- 
neers attacked  with  fury,  and  they  were  obliged  to  repel  them 
in  the  same  manner.  Some  of  the  laborers  received  severe 
wounds  in  this  action.  Their  commander  couid  show  a  great 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  131 

dumber  received  in  the  different  engagements.  At  last  thei 
united  efforts  prevailed  in  dispersing  this  mass  who  had  atack 
ed  them  with  such  fury. 

During  this  combat,  M.  Correard  was  told  by  one  of  his 
workmen  who  remained  faithful,*  that  one  of  their  comrades, 
named  Dominique,  had  gone  over  to  the  rebels,  and  that  they 
had  seized  and  thrown  him  into  the  sea.  Immediately  forget- 
ting the  fault  and  treason  of  this  man,  he  threw  himself  in  at 
the  place  whence  the  voice  of  the  wretch  was  heard  calling 
•for  assistance,  seized  him  by  the  hair,  and  had  the  good  for- 
tune to  restore  him  on  board.  Dominique  had  got  several  sa- 
bre wounds  in  a  charge,  one  of  which  had  laid  open  his  head.  • 
In  spite  of  the  darkness  we  found  out  the  wound,  which  seem- 
ed very  large. 

One  of  the  workmen  gave  his  handkerchief  to  bind  and 
stop  the  blood.  Our  care  recovered  the  wretch;  but,  when 
he  had  collected  strength,  the  ungrateful  Dominique,  forget- 
ting at  once  his  duty  and  the  signal  service  which  we  had 
rendered  him,  went  and  rejoined  the  rebels.  So  much  base- 
ness and  insanity  did  not  go  unrevenged;  and  soon  after  he 
found,  in  a  fresh  assault,  that  de.ath  from  which  he  was  not 
worthy  to  be  saved,  but  which  he  might  in  all  probability  have 
avoided,  if,  true  to  honor  and  gratitude,  he  had  remained 
among  us. 

Just  at  the  moment  we  finished  dressing  the  wounds  of 
Dominique,  another  voice  was  heard.  It  was  that  of  the  un- 
fortunate female  who  was  with  us  on  the  raft,  and  whom  the 
infuriated  beings  had  thrown  into  the  sea,  as  well  as  her  hus- 
band, who  had  defended  her  with  courage.  M.  Correard 
in  despair  at  seeing  two  unfortunates  perish,  whose  pitiful 
cries,  especially  the  woman's  pierced  his  heart,  seized  a  large 
ropa  which  he  found  on  the  front  of  the  raft,  which  he  fasten- 
ed round  his  middle,  and  throwing  himself  a  second  time  into 
the  sea,  was  again  so  fortunate  as  to  sa/e  the  woman,  who  in- 
voked, with  all  her  might,  the  assistance  of  our  Lady  of  Land. 
Her  husband  was  rescued  at  the  same  time  by  the  head 
workman,  Lavilctte.  We  laid  these  unfortunates  upon  the  dead, 
bodies,  supporting  their  backs  with  a  barrel.  In  a  short 
while  they  recovered  their  senses.  The  first  thing  the  woman 
did  was  to  acquaint  herself  with  the  name  of  the  person  who 
saved  her,  and  to  express  to  him  her  liveliest  gratitude. — 
Finding,  doubtless,  that  her  words  but  ill  expressed  her  feel- 
ings, she  recollected  she  had  in  her  pocket  a  little  snuff,  and 
mstantly  offered  it  to  him, — it  was  ill  she  possessed 


(33  rRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

ed  with  the  gifl,  but  unable  to  use  it,  M.  Corrcard  gave  it  t<» 
a  poor  sailor,  which  served  him  for  three  or  lour  days.  But 
it  is  impossible  for  us  to  describe  a  still  more  allectinjr  scene, 
the  joy  this  unfortunate  couple  testified,  when  they  had  sutfi- 
ciently  recovered  their  senses,  at  finding  that  they  were  both 
saved. 

The  rebels  being  repulsed,  as  it  has  been  stated  above,  Jeft 
us  a  little  repose.  The  rnoon  lighted  with  her  melancholy 
rays  this  disastrous  raft,  this  narrow  space,  on  which  wcro 
found  united  so  many  torturing  an.xielies,  so  many  cruel  mis-' 
fortunes,  a  madness  so  insensate,  a  courage  so  heroic,  and 
the  most  generous,  the  most  amiable  sentiments  of  nature  and 
humanity. 

The  man  and  wife,  who  had  been  but  a  little  before  stabbed 
with  swords  and  bayonets,  and  thrown  both  together  into  a 
stormy  sea,  could  scarcely  credit  their  senses  when  they 
found  themselves  in  one  another's  arms.  The  woman  was  a 
native  of  the  Upper  Alps,  which  place  she  had  left  twenty- 
four  years  before,  and  during  wl.ich  time  she  had  followed  the 
French  armies  in  the  campaigns  in  Italy,  and  other  places,  as 
a  sutler.  *  Therefore  preserve  my  life,'  said  she  to  M.  Cor- 
reard,  '  you  see  I  am  an  useful  woman.  Ah!  if  you  knew 
how  often  I  have  ventured  upon  the  field  of  battle,  and  braved 
death  to  carry  assistance  to  our  gallant  men.  Whether  they 
had  money  or  not  I  always  let  them  have  my  goods.  Some- 
times a  battle  would  deprive  me  of  my  poor  debtors;  but  alter 
the  victory,  others  would  pay  me  double  or  triple  for  what 
they  had  consumed  before  the  engagement.  Thus  I  came  in 
for  a  share  of  their  victories.'  Unfortunate  woman!  she  lit- 
tle knew  what  a  horrible  fate  awaited  her  among  us!  They 
felt,  they  expressed  so  vividly  that  happiness  which  they  alas 
BO  shortly  enjoyed,  that  would  have  drawn  tev.rs  from  the 
most  obdurate  heart.  But  in  that  horr'jble  moment,  when  we 
scarcely  breathed  from  the  most  furious  attack, — when  we 
were  obliged  to  be  continually  on  our  guard,  not  only  against 
the  violence  of  the  men,  but  a  most  boisterous  sea,  few 
among  us  had  time  to  attend  to  scenes  of  conjugal  nn"eclinn. 

After  this  second  check,  the  rage  of  the  soldiers  was  sud- 
denly appeased, and  gave  place  to  the  most  abject  cowardice. 
Several  threw  themselves  at  our  feet,  and  implored  our  par- 
don, which  was  instantly  granted.  Thinking  that  order  was 
re-established,  we  returned  to  our  station  on  the  centre  of  the 
raft,  only  taking  the  precaution  of  keeping  our  arms.  \Ve, 
however,  had  soon  lo  prove  the  unpocjibilitv  of  counting  on 


FBBIVCH   FRIOATl    MEDUSA.  139 

Jhe  permanence  of  any  honest  sentiment  in  the  hearts  c/ 
these  beings. 

It  was  nearly  midnight;  and  after  an  hour  of  apparent  tran- 
quility,  the  soldiers  rose  afresh.  Their  mind  was  entirely 
gone;  they  ran  upon  us  in  despair  with  knives  and  sabres  in 
their  hands.  As  they  yet  had  all  their  physical  strength,  and 
besides  were  armed,  W3  were  obliged  again  to  stand  on  our 
defence.  Their  revolt  became  still  more  dangerous,  as,  in 
their  delirium,  they  were  entirely  deaf  to  the  voice  of  reason. 
They  attacked  us,  we  charged  them  in  our  turn,  and  immedi- 
ately the  raft  was  strewed  with  their  dead  bodies.  Those  of 
our  adversaries  who  had  no  weapons  endeavored  to  tear  us 
with  their  sharp  teeth.  Many  of  us  were  cruely  bitten. — 
M.  Savigny  was  torn  on  the  legs  and  the  shoulder;  he  also 
received  a  wound  on  the  right  arm  which  deprived  him  of  the 
use  of  his  fourth  and  little  finger  for  a  long  while.  Many 
others  were  wounded;  and  many  cuts  were  found  in  our 
clothes  from  knives  and  sabres. 

One  of  our  workmen  was  also  seized  by  four  of  the  rebels, 
who  wished  to  throw  him  into  the  sea.  One  of  them  had  laid 
hold  of  his  right  log,  and  had  bit  most  unmercifully  the  tendon 
above  the  heel  ;  others  were  striking  him  with  great  slashes 
of  their  sabres,  and  with  the  butt  end  of  their  guns,  when  his 
cries  made  us  hasten  to  his  assistance.  In  this  affair,  the 
brave  Lavilettc,  cx-serjeant  of  the  foot  artillery  of  the  Old 
Guard,  behaved  with  a  courage  worthy  of  the  greatest  praise. 
He  rushed  upon  the  infuriated  beings  in  the  manner  of  M. 
Correard,  and  soon  snatched  the  workman  from  the  danger 
which  menaced  him.  Some  short  while  after,  in  a  fresh  attack 
of  the  rebels,  sub-lieutenant  Lozach  fell  into  their  hands.  In 
their  delirium,  they  had  taken  him  for  Lieutenant  Danglas,  of 
whom  we  have  formerly  spoken,  and  who  had  abandoned  4he 
raft  at.  the  moment  when  we  were  quitting  the  frigate.  The 
troop,  to  a  man,  eagerly  sought  this  officer,  who  had  seen 
little  service,  and  whom  they  reproached  for  having  used  them 
ill  during  the  time  they  garrisoned  the  Isle  of  Rhe.  We  be- 
lieved this  officer  lost,  but  hearing  his  voice,  we  soon  found  it 
still  possible  to  save  him.  Immediately  MM.  Clairet,  Savigny, 
L'  Ileureux,  Lavilctte,  Coudin,  Correard,  and  some  workmen, 
formed  themselves  into  small  platoons,  and  rushed  upon  the  in- 
surgents wiih  groat  impetuosity, overturning  everyone  in  their 
way,  and  retook  M.  Lczach,  and  placed  him  on  the  centre  of 
the  raft. 

The  preservation  of  this  officer  cost  us  infinite  difficulty 


34  FRENCH   7K.GATE    MEDUSA, 

Every  moment  the  soldiers  demanded  he  should  be  delivered 
.0  them,  designating  liim  always  by  the  name  of  Danglas. 
We  endeavored  to  make  them  comprehend  their  mistake,  and 
told  them  that  they  themselves  had  seen  the  person  for  whom 
they  sought  return  on  board  the  frigate.  They  were  insensible 
to  everything  we  said  ;  everything  before  them  was  Danglas  ; 
they  saw  him  perpetually,  and  furiously  and  unceasingly  de- 
manded his  head.  It  was  only  by  force  of  arms  we  succeed- 
ed in  repressing  their  rage,  and  quieting  their  dreadful  cries 
of  death. 

Horrible  night !  thou  shrouded  with  thy  gloomy  veil  these 
frightful  combats,  over  which  presided  the  cruel  demon  of 
despair. 

\Ve  had  also  to  tremble  for  the  life  of  M.  Coudin.  Wound- 
ed and  fatigued  by  the  attacks  which  he  had  sustained  with  us, 
and  in  which  he  had  shown  a  courage  superior  to  everything, 
he  was  resting  himself  on  a  barrel,  holding  in  his  arms  a  young 
sailor  boy  of  twelve  years  of  age,  to  whom  he  had  attached 
himself.  The  mutineers  seized  him  with  his  barrel,  and  threw 
him  into  the  sea  with  the  boy,  whom  he  still  held  fast.  In 
spite  of  his  burden,  he  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  lay  hold  of 
the  raft,  and  to  save  himself  from  this  extreme  peril 

We  cannot  yet  comprehend  how  a  handful  of  men  should 
have  been  able  to  resist  such  a  number  so  monstrously  insane. 
We  are  sure  we  were  not  more  than  twenty  to  combat  all  these 
madmen.  Let  it  not,  however,  be  imagined,  that  in  the  midst 
of  all  these  dangers  we  had  preserved  our  reason  entire 
Fear,  anxiety,  and  the  most  cruel  privations,  had  greatly 
changed  our  intellectual  faculties.  But  being  somewhat  less 
insane  than  the  unfortunate  soldiers,  we  energetically  opposed 
their  determination  of  cutting  the  cords  of  tiie  raft.  Permit 
us»  now  to  make  some  observations  concerning  the  different 
sensations  with  which  we  were  alfected.  During  the  first  day, 
M.  Grillbn  entirely  lost  his  senses.  He  threw  himself  into  the 
sea,  but  M.  Savigny  saved  him  with  his  own  hands.  His 
words  were  vague  and  unconnected.  A  second  time  he  threw 
himself  in,  but,  by  a  sort  of  instinct,  kept  hold  of  the  crosa 
pieces  of  the  raft,  and  was  again  saved. 

The  following  is  what  M.  Savigny  experienced  in  the  be^:n- 
ning  of  the  nigh!.  His  eyes  closed  in  spite  of  hinr.se If,  and  he 
felt  a  genera!  drowsiness.  In  this  condition  the  most  delight- 
ful visions  flitted  across  his  imagination.  He  saw  around  him 
a  country  covered  with  the  most  beautiful  plantations,  and 
found  himself  in  the  Tiidst  of  objects  delightful  to  his  senses 


FRENCH    FIUGATE    INIEDOSA.  13d 

.Vevcrtheless,  ne  reasoned  concerning  his  condition,  and  felt 
that  courage  alone  could  withdraw  him  from  this  species  of 
non-existence.  He  demanded  some  wine  from  the  master- 
gunner,  who  got  it  for  him,  and  he  recovered  a  little  from  this 
stupor.  If  the  unfortunates  who  were  assailed  with  these 
primary  symptoms  had  not  strength  to  withstand  them,  their 
death  was  certain.  Some  became  furious  ;  others  threw  them- 
selves into  the  sea,  bidding  farewell  to  their  comrades  with  the 
utmost  coolness.  Some  said — *  Fear  nothing  ;  T  am  going  to 
gU  you  assistance,  and  will  return  in  a  short  while.'  In  the 
midst  of  this  general  madness,  some  wretches  were  seen  rush- 
ing upon  their  companions,  sword  in  hand,  demanding  a  wing 
of  a  chicken  and  some  bread  to  appease  the  hunger  which 
consumed  them  ;  others  asked  for  their  hammocks  to  go,  they 
said,  between  the  decks  of  the  frigate  to  take  a  little  repose. 
Many  believed  they  were  still  on  the  Medusa,  surrounded  by 
the  same  objects  they  there  saw  daily.  Some  saw  ships,  and 
called  to  them  for  assistance,  or  a  fine  harbor,  in  the  distance 
of  which  was  an  elegant  city.  M.  Correard  thought  he  was 
travelling  through  the  beautiful  fields  of  Italy.  An  officer  said 
to  him — '  I  recollect  we  have  been  abandoned  by  the  boats  ;  but 
fear  nothing.  I  am  going  to  write  to  the  governor,  and  in  a  few 
hours  we  shall  be  saved.'  M.  Correard  replied  in  the  same 
tone,  and  as  if  he  had  been  in  his  ordinary  condition — '  Have 
you  a  pigeon  to  carry  your  orders  with  such  celerity  ?'  The 
cries  and  the  confusion  soon  roused  us  from  this  languor  ;  but 
when  tranquility  was  somewhat  restored,  we  again  fell  into  the 
same  drowsy  condition.  On  the  morrow,  we  felt  as  if  we  had 
awoke  from  a  painful  dream,  and  asked  our  companions,  if, 
during  their  sleep,  they  had  not  seen  combats  and  heard  cries 
of  despair.  Some  replied,  that  the  same  visions  had  contin- 
ually tormented  them,  and  that  they  were  exhausted  wit* 
fatigue.  Every  one  believed  he  was  deceived  by  the  illusions 
of  a  horrible  dream. 

After  these  different  combats,  overcome  with  toil,  with  want 
of  food  and  sleep,  we  laid  ourselves  down  and  reposed  till  the 
iiorrow  dawned,  and  showed  us  the  horror  of  the  scene.  A 
great  number  in  their  delirium  had  thrown  themselves  into  the 
sea.  We  found  that  sixty  or  sixty-five  had  perished  during 
the  night.  A  fourth  part  at  least,  we  supposed,  had  drowned 
themselves  in  desj  air.  We  only  lost  two  of  our  own  numbers, 
neither  of  whom  were  officers.  The  deepest  dejection  waa 
oainted  on  every  face  ;  each,  having  recovered  himself,  could 


136  FEE.NCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

now  feel  the  horrors  of  his  situation  ;  and  some  of  us,  shed- 
ding tears  of  despair,  bitterly  deplored  the  rigor  of  our  fate. 

A  new  misfortune  was  now  revealed  to  us.  During  tho 
tumult,  the  rebels  had  thrown  into  the  sea  two  barrels  of  wine, 
and  the  only  two  casks  of  water  which  we  had  upon  the  rail. 
Two  casks  of  wine  had  been  consumed  the  day  before,  and 
only  one  was  left.  We  were  more  than  sixty  in  number,  and 
we  were  obliged  to  put  ourselves  on  half  rations. 

At  break  of  day,  the  sea  calmed,  which  permitted  us  again 
to  erect  our  mast.  When  it  was  replaced,  we  made  a  dis- 
tribution of  wine.  The  unhappy  soldiers  murmured  and  blam- 
ed us  for  privations  which  we  equally  endured  with  them. 
They  fell  exhausted.  We  had  taken  nothing  for  forty-eight 
hours,  and  we  had  been  obliged  to  struggle  continually  against  a 
strong  sea.  \V  e  could,  like  them,  hardly  support  ourselves  ; 
courage  alone  ma-Jo  us  still  act.  We  resolved  to  employ 
every  possible  means  to  catch  fish,  and,  collecting  all  the  hooks 
and  eyes  from  the  soldiers,  made  fish-hooks  of  them  but  al! 
was  of  no  avail.  The  currents  carried  our  lines  under  the 
raft,  where  they  got  entangled.  We  bent  a  bayonet  to  catch 
sharks  ,  one  bit  at  it,  and  straitened  it,  and  we  abandoned 
our  project.  Something  was  absolutely  necessary  «o  sustain 
our  miserable  existence,  and  we  »remble  with  horror  at  being 
obliged  to  tell  that  of  which  we  made  use.  \\  e  feel  our  pen 
fall  from  our  hands  :  a  mortal  cold  congeals  all  our  members, 
and  our  hair  bristles  erect  on  our  foreheads.  Headers  !  we 
implore  you,  feel  not  indignant  towards  men  already  overload- 
ed with  misery.  Pity  their  condition,  and  shed  a  tear  of  sor- 
row for  their  deplorable  fate. 

T'.ic  wretches,  whom  death  had  spared  during  the  disastrous 
night  we  have  described,  seized  upon  the  dead  bodies  with 
which  the  raft  was  covered,  cutting  them  up  by  slices,  which 
some  even  instantly  devoured.  Many  nevertheless  refrained. 
Altnost  all  the  ollicers  were  of  this  number.  Seeing  that  this 
monstrous  food  had  revived  the  strength  of  those  who  had 
used  it,  it  was  proposed  to  dry  it,  to  make  it  a  little  more 
palatable.  Those  who  had  firmness  to  abstain  from  it,  took 
an  additional  quantity  of  wine.  We  endeavored  to  eat  shoul- 
der-belts and  cartouch-boxes,  and  contrived  to  swallow  some 
small  bits  of  them.  Some  cat  linen  ;  others  the  leathers  of 
their  hats,  on  which  was  a  little  grease  or  rather  (iirt.  \Ve  had 
recourse  to  many  expedients  to  prolong  our  miserable  exist- 
ence, to  recount  which  would  only  disgust  the  heart  o/ 
humanity 


FRIOATB    MSDUSA.  13? 

The  day  was  calm  and  beautiful.  A  ray  of  hope  beamed  fot 
JL  moment  to  quiet  our  agitation.  We  still  expected  to  see 
U»e  boats  or  some  ships,  and  addressed  our  prayers  to  the 
.Eternal,  on  whom  we  placed  our  trust.  The  half  of  our  men 
were  extremely  feeble,  and  bore  upon  their  faces  the  stamp 
of  approaching  dissolution.  Ihe  evening  arrived,  and  we 
found  no  help.  The  darkness  of  the  third  night  augmented 
our  fears,  but  the  wind  was  still,  and  the  sea  less  agitated.  The 
sun  of  the  fourth  morning  since  our  departure  shone  upon  our 
disaster,  and  showed  us  ten  or  twelve  of  our  companions 
stretched  lifeless  upon  the  raft.  This  sight  struck  us  most 
forcibly,  as  it  told  us  we  would  be  soon  extended  in  the  same 
manner  in  the  same  place.  We  gave  their  bodies  to  the  sea 
for  a  grave,  reserving  only  o'ie  to  feed  those  who,  but  the  day 
before,  hud  held  his  trembling  hands,  and  sworn  to  him  eter- 
nal friendship.  This  day  was  beautiful.  Our  souls,  anxious 
for  more  delightful  sensations,  were  in  harmony  with  the  aspect 
of  the  heavens,  and  got  aga;n  a  new  ray  of  hope.  Towards 
four  in  the  afternoon,  an  unlocked  for  event  happened  which 
gave  us  some  consolation.  A  shoal  of  flying  fish  passed  under 
our  rail,  and  as  there  were  an  infinite  number  of  openings  be- 
tween the  pieces  which  composed  it,  the  fish  were  entangled 
in  great  quantities.  We  threw  ourselves  upon  them,  and  cap- 
tured a  considerable  number.  We  took  about  two  hundred 
and  put  them  in  an  empty  barrel  ;  we  opened  them  as  we 
caught  them,  a»:d  took  out  what  is  called  their  null.  Tins  food 
seemed  delicious  :  but  one  man  would  have  required  a  thou- 
sand. Our  first  emotion  was  to  give  to  God  renewed  thanks 
for  this  unhoped  for  favor. 

An  ounce  of  gunpowder  having  been  found  in  the  morning, 
was  dried  in  the  sun  during  the  day,  which  was  very  fine  ;  a 
steel,  gunflints,  and  tinder  made  also  a  part  of  the  same  par- 
cel. Alter  a  good  deal  of  difiiculty  we  set  fire  to  some,  frag- 
ments of  dry  linen.  We  made  a  large  opening  in  the  side  of  an 
empty  cask,  and  placed  at  the  bottom  of  it  several  wet  things, 
and  upon  this  kind  of  scaffolding  we  set  our  fire  ;  all  of  which 
we  placed  on  a  barrel  that  the  sea-water  might  not  extinguish 
it.  We  cooked  some  fish  and  eat  them  with  extreme  avidity  5 
but  our  hunger  was  such,  and  our  portion  so  small,  that  \ve 
added  to  it  some  of  the  sacrilegious  viands,  which  the  cooking 
rendered  less  revolting.  This  some  of  the  ollicers  touched 
for  the  first  t;me.  From  this  day  we  continued  to  eat  it  ;  buf 
we  could  no  longer  dress  it,  the  means  of  making  a  fire  hav- 
ing been  entirely  lost  ;  tie  barrel  having  caught  fire  we  ex- 


158  FRBNCH    FRIGITE    M1DDSA. 

tinguished  it  without  being  able  to  preserve  anything  to  re- 
kindle it  on  the  morrow.  The  powder  and  tinder  were  en- 
tirely gone.  This  meal  gave  us  all  additional  strength  to  sup- 
port our  fatigues.  The  night  was  tolerable,  and  would  have 
been  happy,  had  it  not  been  signalized  by  a  new  massacre. 

Some  Spaniards,  Italians,  and  negroes,  had  formed  a  plot 
to  throw  us  all  into  the  sea.  The  negroes  had  told  them  that 
they  were  very  near  the  shore,  and  that,  when  there,  they 
would  enable  them  to  traverse  Africa  without  danger.  We 
nad  to  take  to  our  arms  again,  the  sailors,  who  had  remained 
faithful  to  us,  pointing  out  to  us  the  conspirators.  The  first 
signal  for  battle  was  given  by  a  Spaniard,  who,  placing  him- 
self behind  the  mast,  holding  fast  by  it,  made  the  sign  of  the 
Cross  with  one  hand,  invoking  the  name  of  God,  and  with  the 
other  held  a  knife.  The  sailors  seized  him  and  threw  him 
into  the  sea.  An  Italian,  servant  to  an  officer  of  the  troops, 
who  was  in  the  plot,  seeing  all  was  discovered,  armed  himself 
with  the  only  boarding  axe  left  on  the  raft,  made  his  retreat 
to  the  front,  enveloped  himself  in  a  piece  of  drapery  he  wore 
across  his  breast,  and  of  his  own  accord  threw  himself  into  the 
sea.  The  rebels  rushed  forward  to  avenge  their  comrades  ;  a 
terrible  conflict  again  commenced  ;  both  sides  fought  with  des- 
perate fury  ;  and  soon  the  fatal  raft  was  strewed  with  dead 
bodies  and  blood,  which  should  have  been  shed  by  other 
hands,  and  in  another  cause.  In  this  tumult  we  heard  them 
again  demanding,  with  horrid  rage,  the  head  of  Lieut.  Dan- 
glas  !  In  this  assault  the  unfortunate  sutler  was  a  second  time 
thrown  into  the  sea.  M.  Coudin,  assisted  by  some  workmen, 
saved  her,  to  prolong  for  a  little  while  her  torment  and  her 
existence. 

In  this  terrible  night  Lavilette  failed  not  to  give  proofs  of 
the  rarest  intrepidity.  It  was  to  him  and  some  of  those  who 
had  survived  the  sequel  of  our  misfortunes,  that  we  owed  our 
safety.  At  last,  after  unheard  of  efforts,  the  rebels  were  once 
more  repuh;«>d,  and  quiet  restored.  Having  escaped  this  new 
danger,  we  endeavored  to  get  some  repose.  The  day  at  length 
dawned  upon  us  for  the  fifth  time.  We  were  now  no  more 
than  thirty  in  number.  We  had  lost  four  or  five  of  our  faithful 
sailors,  and  thoso  who  survived  were  in  the  most  deplorable 
condition.  The  sea-water  had  almost  entirely  excoriated  the 
skin  of  our  lower  extremities  ;  we  were  covered  with  contu- 
sions or  wouriJs,  which,  irritated  by  the  salt  water,  ev*orted 
from  us  the  most  piercing  cries.  About  twenty  of  us  on.'y 
were  capable  of  standing  upright  or  walking.  Almost  all  our 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  199 

fish  was  exhausted  ;  we  had  but  four  days'  supply  of  wine  :  in 
four  days,  said  we,  nothing  will  be  left,  and  death  will  be  inevit- 
able. Thus  came  the  seventh  day  of  our  abandonment.  In 
the  course  of  the  day  two  soldiers  had  glided  behind  the  only 
barrel  of  wine  that  was  left  ;  pierced  it,  and  were  drinking  by 
means  of  a  reed.  We  had  sworn  that  those  who  used  such 
means  should  be  punished  with  death  ;  which  law  was  instant- 
ly put  ]u  execution,  and.  the  two  transgressors  were  thrown 
into  the  sea. 

This  same  day  saw  the  close  of  the  life  of  a  child  named 
Leon,  aged  twelve  years.  He  died  like  a  lamp  which  ceases 
to  burn  for  want  of  aliment.  All  spoke  in  favor  of  this  young 
and  amiable  creature,  who  merited  a  better  fate.  His  angelic 
form,  his  musical  voice,  the  interest  of  an  age  so  tender  in- 
creased stiil  more  by  the  courage  he  had  shown,  and  the  ser- 
vices he  had  performed,  for  he  had  already  made  in  the  pre- 
ceding year  a  campaign  in  the  East  Indies,  inspired  us  all 
with  the  greatest  pity  for  this  young  victim,  devoted  to  so  hor- 
rible and  premature  a  death.  Our  old  soldiers  and  all  our 
people  in  general  did  everything  they  could  to  prolong  his  ex- 
istence, but  all  was  in  vain.  Neither  the  wine  which  they 
gave  him  without  regret,  nor  all  the  means  they  employed, 
could  arrest  his  melancholy  doom,  and  he  expired  in  the  arms 
of  M.  Coudin,  who  had  not  ceased  to  give  him  the  most  un- 
wearied attention.  Whilst  he  had  strength  to  move,  he  ran 
incessantly  from  one  side  to  the  other,  loudly  calling  for  hia 
unhappy  mother,  for  water  and  food.  He  trod  indiscriminate- 
ly on  the  feet  and  legs  of  his  companions  in  misfortune,  who, 
in  their  turn,  uttered  sorrowful  cries,  but  these  were  very  rare- 
ly accompanied  with  menaces  ;  they  pat  Joned  ail  which  the 
poor  boy  had  made  them  suffer.  He  was  not  in  his  senses, 
consequently  cou'J  not  be  expected  to  behave  as  if  he  had  had 
the  use  of  his  reason. 

There  now  remained  but  twenty-seven  of  us.  Fifteen  of 
that  number  seemed  able  to  live  yet  some  days  ;  the  rest, 
covered  wjth  large  wounds,  had  almost  entirely  lost  the  use 
of  their  reason.  They  still,  however,  shared  in  the  distribu- 
tions, and  would,  before  they  died,  consume  to  thirty  or  forty 
boitles  of  wine,  which  to  us  were  inestimable.  We  deliberat- 
ed, that  by  putting  the  sick  on  half  allowance  was  but  putting 
them  to  death  by  halves  :  but  after  a  counsel,  at  which  presid- 
ed the  most  dreadful  despair,  it  was  decided  they  should  b« 
thrown  into  the  sea.  This  means,  however  repugnant,  how- 
ever horrible  it  appeared  to  us,  procured  the  survivors  sil 


140  FRENCH   FRIGATE    MEDUSA. 

rfays  wine  But  after  the  decision  was  made,  who  durst  ex* 
ecute  it  ?  The  habit  of  seeing  death  ready  to  devour  us  ;  the 
certainty  of  our  infallible  destruction  without  this  mDnstrous 
expedient  ;  all,  in  short,  had  hardened  our  hearts  to  every 
feeling  but  that  of  self-preservation.  Three  sailors  and  a  sol- 
dier took  charge  of  this  cruel  business  We  looke'd  as'de  and 
shed  tears  of  blood  at  the  fate  of  these  unfortunates.  Among 
them  were  the  wretched  sutler  and  her  husband.  Both  had 
been  grievously  wounded  in  the  different  combats.  The 
woman  had  a  thigh  broken  between  the  beams  of  the  raft,  and 
a  stroke  of  a  sabre  had  made  a  deep  wound  in  the  head  of  her 
husband.  Kvery  thing  announced  their  approaching  end. 
We  consoled  ourselves  with  the  belief  that  our  cruel  resolution 
shortened  but  a  brief  space  the  term  of  their  existence.  Ye 
who  shudder  at  the  cry  of  outraged  humanity,  recollect,  that  it 
was  other  men,  fellow-countrymen,  comrades  who  had  placed 
us  in  this  awful  situation  ! 

This  horrible  expedient  saved  the  fifteen  who  remained  ;  for 
when  we  were  found  by  the  Argus  brig,  we  had  very  little 
wine  left,  and  it  was  the  sixth  day  after  the  cruel  sacrifice  we 
have  described.  The  victims,  we  repeat,  had  not  more  than 
forty-eight  hours  to  live,  and  by  keeping  them  on  the  raft,  we 
would  have  been  absolutely  destitute  of  the  means  of  existence 
two  days  before  we  were  found.  Weak  as  we  were,  we  con- 
sidered it  as  a  certain  thing,  that  it  would  have  been  impos- 
sible lor  us  to  have  lived  only  twenty-four  hours  more  without 
taking  some  food.  After  this  catastrophe,  we  threw  our  arms 
into  the  sea  ;  they  inspired  us  with  a  horror  we  could  not  over- 
come. We  only  kept  one  sabre,  in  case  we  had  to  cut  some 
cordage  or  some  piece  of  wood. 

A  new  event,  for  everything  was  an  event  to  wretches  to 
whom  the  worid  was  reduced  to  the  narrcw  space  of  a  few 
tois.es,  and  fur  whom  the  winds  and  waves  contended  in  their 
fury  as  they  flouted  above  the  abyss  ;  an  event  happened 
which  diverted  our  minds  from  the  horrors  of  our  situation. 
All  on  a  sudden  a  white  butterfly,  of  a  species  pommon  in 
France,  came  fluttering  above  our  head:?,  and  settled  on  OMt 
sails.  The  first  thought  this  little  creature  suggested  was, 
that  it  was  the  harbinger  of  approaching  land,  and  we.  clung  to 
the  hope  with  a  delirium  of  joy.  It  was  the  ninth  day  we  had 
been  upon  the  raft  ;  the  torments  of  hunger  consumed  our  en- 
trails ;  an]  the  soldiers  and  sailors  already  devoured  with  hag- 
gard eyes  this  wretched  prey,  and  seemed  ready  to  dispute 
about  it.  Others  looking  upon  it  as  a  messenger  frcn  Heaven, 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  141 

decla.-ed  that  they  took  it  under  their  protection,  and  would 
sillier  none  to  do  it  harm.  It  is  certain  we  could  not  he  far 
from  .and,  for  the  butterflies  continued  to  come  on  the  follow- 
ing days,  and  flutter  about  our  sail.  AVe  had  also  on  the 
same  day  another  indication  not  less  positive,  by  a  Goeland 
which  flew  around  our  raft.  This  second  visitor  left  us  no 
doubt  that  we  were  fast  approaching  the  African  soil,  and  we 
persuaded  ourselves  we  would  be  speedily  thrown  upon  the 
coast  by  the  force  of  the  currents. 

This  same  day  a  new  care  employed  us.  Seeing  we  were 
reduced  to  so  small  a  number,  we  collected  all  the  little 
strength  we  had  left,  detached  some  planks  on  the  front  of  the 
raft,  and,  with  some  pretty  long  pieces  of  wood,  raised  on  the 
centre  a  kind  of  platform,  on  which  we  reposed.  All  the  ef- 
fects we  could  collect  were  placed  upon  it,  and  rendered  to 
make  it  less  hard  ;  which  also  prevented  the  sea  from  passing 
with  such  facility  through  the  spaces  between  the  dilferent 
planks,  but  the  waves  came  across,  and  sometimes  covered  us 
completely. 

On  this  new  theatre  we  resolved  to  meet  death  in  a  manner 
becoming  Frenchman,  and  with  perfect  resignation.  Oui 
time  was  almost  wholly  spent  in  speaking  of  our  unhappy 
country.  All  our  wishes,  our  last  prayers,  were  for  the  pros- 
perity of  France.  Thus  passed  the  last  days  of  our  abode 
upon  the  raft. 

Soon  after  our  abandonment,  we  bore  with  comparative  ease 
the  immersions  during  the  nights,  which  are  very  cold  in  these 
countries  ;  but  latterly,  every  time  the  waves  washed  over  us, 
we  felt  a  most  painful  sensation,  and  we  uttered  plaintive 
cries.  We  employed  every  means  to  avoid  it.  Some  sup- 
ported their  heads  on  pieces  of  wood,  and  made  with  what 
they  could  find  a  sort  of  little  parapet  to  screen  them  frrjn  the 
force  of  the  waves  ;  others  sheltered  themselves  behind  two 
emnty  casks  But  these  means  were  very  insufficient  :  it  was 
oniy  when  the  sea  was  calm  that  it  did  not  break  over  us. 

An  ardent  thirst,  redoubled  in  the  dav  by  the  beams  of  a  burn- 
ing sun,  consumed  us.  An  officer  of  the  army  foun  J  by  chance 
a  small  lemon,  and  it  may  be  easily  imagined  how  valuable 
such  a  fruit  would  be  to  him.  Hi-s  comrades,  in  spite  of  the 
most  urgent  entreaties,  could  not  get  a  bit  of  it  from  him.  Sign? 
of  rage  were  already  manifested,  and  had  lie  not  partly  listened 
to  the  solicitations  of  those  around  him,  they  would  have  ta!  en 
it  by  force,  and  he  would  have  perished  tl.e  victim  of  his  self- 
shness.  We  also  disputed  about  thirty  clover  of  garlic  which 


14^  FRENCH    FRIHATF.     M  EDITS  A 

were  found  in  the  bottom  of  a  sack.  These  disputes 
*br  tl  e  most  part  accompanied  with  violent  menaces,  and  if 
they  had  been  prolonged,  we  might  perhaps  have  come  to  the 
last  extremities.  There  was  found  also  two  small  phials,  in 
which  was  a  spirituous  liquid  for  cleaning  the  teeth.  He  who 
possessed  them  kept  them  with  care,  and  gave  with  reluctance 
one  or  two  drops  in  the  palm  of  the  hand.  This  liquor  which, 
we  think,  was  a  tincture  of  guiacum,  cinnamon,  cloves,  and 
other  aromatic  substances,  produced  on  our  tongues  an  agree- 
able feeling,  and  for  a  short  while  removed  the  thirst  which 
destroyed  us.  Some  of  us  found  some  small  pieces  of  powder, 
which  made,  when  put  into  the  mouth,  a  kind  of  coolness. 
One  plan  generally  employed  was  to  put  into  a  hat  a  quantity 
of  sea-water  with  which  we  washed  our  faces  for  a  while,  re- 
peating it  at  intervals.  We  also  bathed  our  hair  and  held  our 
hands  in  the  water.  Misfortune  made  us  ingenious,  and  each 
thought  of  a  thousand  means  to  alleviate  his  sufferings.  Kma- 
ciated  by  the  most  cruel  privations,  the  least  agreeable  feeling 
was  to  us  a  happiness  supreme.  Thus  we  sought  with  avidity 
a  small  empty  phial  which  one  of  us  possessed,  and  in  which 
had  once  been  some  essence  of  roses  ;  and  evciy  one  as  he 
got  hold  of  it  respired  with  delight  the  odor  it  exhaled,  which 
imparted  to  his  senses  the  most  soothing  impressions.  Many 
of  us  kept  our  ration  of  wine  in  a  small  tin  cup,  and  sucked  it 
out  with  a  quill.  This  manner  of  taking  it  was  of  great  bene- 
fit to  us,  and  allayed  our  thirst  much  better  than  ii'  we  had 
gulped  it  off  at  once. 

Three  days  passed  in  inexpressible  anguish.  So  much  did 
we  despise  life,  that  many  of  us  feared  not  to  bathe  in  sight 
of  the  sharks  which  surrounded  our  rail  ;  others  placed  them- 
selves naked  upon  the  front  of  our  machine,  which  was  under 
water.  These  expedients  diminished  a  little  the  ardor  of  their 
thirst.  A  species  of  molusca,  known  to  seamen  by  the  name 
of  gaterc,  was  sometimes  driven  in  great  numbers  on  our  raft  ; 
and  when  their  long  arms  rested  on  our  naked  bodies,  they 
occasioned  us  the  most  cruel  Bufferings.  Will  it  be  believed; 
that  admist  these  terrible  scenes,  struggling  with  inevitable 
deat  i,  some  of  us  uttered  pleasantries  which  made  us  yet  smile, 
in  spite  of  the  horrors  of  our  situation  ?  One,  besides  others, 
said  jestingly,  '  If  the  brig  is  sent  to  search  for  us,  pray  God 
it  has  the  eyes  of  Argus,'  in  allusion  to  the  name  of  the  vessel 
we  presumed  would  be  sent  to  our  assistance.  This  consola- 
tory idea  never  left  us  an  instant,  and  we  spoke  of  it  fre- 
quently. 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA.  143 

On  the  16th,  reckoning  we  were  very  near  land,  eight  of  the 
most  determined  among  us  resolved  to  endeavor  to  gain  the 
coast.  A  second  raft,  of  smaller  dimensions,  was  formed  for 
transporting  them  thither  :  but  it  was  fou'nd  insufficient,  and 
they  at  length  determined  to  await  death  in  their  present  situa- 
tion. Meanwhile  night  came  on,  and  its  sombre  veil  revived 
in  our  minds  the  most  afflicting  thoughts.  We  were  convin- 
ced there  were  not  above  a  dozen  or  fifteen  bottles  of  wine  in 
our  barrel.  We  began  to  have  an  invincible  disgust  at  the 
flesh  which  had  till  then  scarcely  supported  us  ;  and  we  may 
say,  that  the  sight  of  it  inspired  us  with  feelings  of  horror, 
doubtless  produced  by  the  idea  of  our  approaching  destruc 
tion. 

On  the  m(  rning  of  the' 17th,  the  sun  appeared  free  from 
clouds.  After  having  addressed  our  prayers  to  the  Eternal, 
we  divided  among  us  a  part  of  our  wine.  Each,  with  delight, 
was  taking  his  small  portion,  when  a  captain  of  infantry,  cast- 
ing his  eyes  on  the  horizon,  perceived  a  ship,  announced  it  to 
us  by  an  exclamation  of  joy.  We  knew  it  to  be  a  brig,  but  it 
was  at  a  great  distance  ;  we  could  distinguish  the  masts.  The 
sight  of  this  vessel  revived  in  us  emotions  difficult  to  describe 
Each  believed  his  deliverance  sure,  and  we  gave  a  thousand 
thanks  to  God.  Fears,  however,  mingled  with  our  hopes. 
We  straightened  some  hoops  of  casks,  to  the  ends  of  which 
we  fixed  handkerchiefs  of  different  colors.  A  man,  with  our 
united  assistance,  mounted  to  the  top  of  the  mast,  and  waved 
these  little  flags.  For  more  than  half  an  hour,  we  were  toss- 
ed between  hope  and  fear.  Some  thought  the  vessel  grew 
larger,  and  others  were  convinced  its  course  was  from  us. 
These  last  were  the  only  ones  whose  eyes  were  not  blinded 
by  hope,  for  the  ship  disappeared. 

From  the  delirium  of  joy,  we  passed  to  that  of  despondency 
ani  sorrow.  We  envied  the  fate  of  those  whom  we  had  seen 
perish  at  our  sides  ;  and  we  said  to  ourselves,  '  When  we 
shall  be  in  want  of  everything,  and  when  our  strength  begins 
to  forsake  us,  \ve  will  wrap  ourselves  up  as  w«ll  as  we  can, 
we  will  stretch  ourselves  on  this  platform,  the  witness  of  the 
most  cruel  sufferings,  and  there  await  death  with  resignation  ' 
A*  leng'.h,  to  calm  our  despair,  we  sought  for  consolation  ir. 
the  arm  of  sleep.  The  day  before,  we  had  been  scorched  by 
thr  beams  of  a  burning  sun  :  to-day,  to  avoid  the  fierccnes* 
of  his  rays,  we  made  a  tent  with  the  main-sail  of  the  frigate 
As  soon  as  it  was  finished,  we  laid  ourselves  under  it  ;  tnus 
ail  that  was  passing  without  was  hid  from,  our  eyes  We  pro 


144  FRENCH    FRIGATE     DTCDC1A. 

posed  then  to  write  upon  a  plank  an  abridgement  of  our  ad- 
ventures, and  to  add  our  names  at  the  bottom  of  the  recital, 
and  fix  it  to  the  upper  part  of  the  mast,  in  the  hope  it  would 
reach  the  government  and  our  families 

Alter  having  passed  two  hours,  a  prey  to  the  most  cruel  re- 
flections, the  master  gunner  of  the  frigate,  wishing  to  go  to  th« 
front  of  the  raft,  went  out  from  beiow  the  tent.  Scarcely  had 
DC  put  out  his  head,  when  he  turned  to  us,  uttering  a  piercing 
cry.  Joy  was  painted  upon  his  face  ;  his  hands  were  stretch- 
ed towards  the  sez.  he  breathed  with  difficulty.  All  he  was 
able  to  say  was  ;  *  SAVED  !  SEE  THE  BBIG  UPON  us  !'  and  in 
fact  it  was  not  more  than  half  a  league  distant  having  every 
sail  set,  and  steering  right  upon  us.  \Ve  rushed  from  our  tent  ; 
even  those  whom  enormous  wounds  in  their  in.erior  extrem- 
ities had  confined  for  many  diiys,  dragged  themselves  to  the 
back  of  the  raft,  to  enjoy  a  sight  of  the  ship  which  had  come 
to  save  us  from  certain  death.  We  embraced  one  another 
with  a  transport  which  looked  much  like  madness,  and  tears 
of  joy  trickled  down  our  cheeks,  withered  by  the  most  cruel 
privations.  Kacli  seized  handkerchiefs,  or  some  pieces  of 
linen,  to  make  signals  to  the  brig,  which  was  rapidly  approach- 
ing us.  Some  fell  on  their  knees,  and  fervently  returned 
thanks  to  Providence  for  this  miraculous  preservation  of  their 
lives.  Our  joy  redoubled  when  saw  we  at  the  top  of  the  fore- 
mast a  large  white  Hag,  and  we  cried,  '  It  is  then  to  Frenchmen 
we  will  o\ve  our  deliverance.'  We  instantly  recognised  the  brig 
to  be  the  Argus;  it  was  then  about  two  gunshots  from  us. 
We  were  terribly  impatient  to  see  her  reef  her  sails,  which  at 
last  she  did,  and  fresh  cries  of  joy  arose  from  our  rail.  The 
Argus  came  and  lay-to  on  our  starboard,  about  half  a  pistol- 
shot  from  us.  The  crew,  ranged  upon  the  deck  and  on  the 
shrouds,  annourced  to  us,  by  the  waving  of  their  hands  and 
hats,  the  pleasure  they  felt  at  coming  to  the  assistance  of  their 
unfortunate  countrymen.  In  a  short  time  we  were  all  trans- 
ported .»n  board  the  brig,  where  we  found  the  lieutenant  cf 
the  frigate,  and  some  others  who  had  been  wrecked  with  us. 
Compassion  was  painted  on  every  race  .  di.U  o»tv  <Jr«w  tears 
from  every  eye  which  beheld  us. 

We  found  some  excellent  broth  on  Dotro.  the  brig,  which 
they  had  prepared,  and  when  they  had  perceived  us  they  add- 
ed to  it  some  wine,  and  thus  restored  our  nearly  exhausted 
strength.  They  bestowed  on  us  the  most  generous  cure  and 
attention  ;  our  wounds  were  dressed,  and  on  th^  morrow  many 
•f  our  sick  began  to  revive  Some,  however,  still  suffered 


FRENCH    FRIGATE    MEDUSA  145 

much,  for  they  were  placed  between  decks,  very  near  the 

Kitchen,  which  augmented  the  almost  insupportable  heat  of 
these  latitudes.  This  want  of  space  arose  from  the  small  size 
of  the  vessel.  The  number  of  the  shipwrecked  was  indeed  very 
considerable.  Those  who  did  not  belong  to  the  navy  were  laid 
upon  cables,  wrapped  in  flags,  and  placed  under  the  fire  of  the 
kitchen.  Here  they  had  a'.most  perished  during  the  course 
cf  the  night,  fire  having  broken  out  between  decks  about  ten 
in  the  evening  ;  but  timely  assistance  being  rendered,  we  were 
saved  for  the  second  time.  U'e  had  scarcely  escaped  when 
some  of  us  became  again  delirous.  An  officer  of  infantry 
wished  to  throw  himself  into  the  sea,  to  look  for  his  pocket 
book,  and  would  have  done  it  had  he  not  been  prevented, 
Others  were  seized  in  a  manner  not  less  frenzied. 

The  commander  and  oflicers  of  the  brig  watched  over  us, 
and  kindly  anticipated  our  wants.  They  snatched  us  from 
death,  by  saving  us  from  our  raft  ;  their  unremitting  care  re- 
vived within  us.  the  spark  of  life.  The  surgeon  of  the  ship, 
M.  llenaud,  distinguished  himself  for  his  indefatigable  zeal. 
He  was  obliged  to  spend  the  whole  of  the  day  in  dressing  our 
wounds  ;  and  during  the  two  days  we  were  in  the  brig,  he  be- 
stowed on  us  all  the  aid  of  his  art,  with  an  attention  and  gen- 
tleness which  merit  our  eternal  gratitude. 

In  truth,  it  was  time  we  should  find  an  end  of  our  suffer- 
ings ;  they  had  lasted  thirteen  days,  in  the  most  cruel  manner. 
The  strongest  among  us  might  have  lived  forty-eight  hours 
or  so,  longer.  M.  Correard  felt  that  he  must  die  in  the  course 
of  the  day  ;  he  had,  however  a  presentiment  we  would  be 
saved.  He  said,  that  a  series  of  events  so  unheard  of  would 
not  be  buried  in  oblivion  ;  that  Providence  would  at  least  pre- 
serve some  of  us  to  tell  to  the  world  the  melancholy  story  of 
our  misfortunes. 

Such  in  the  faithful  history  of  those  who  were  left  upon  the 
memorable  raft.  Of  one  hundred  and  filly,  fifteen  only  were 
saved.  Five  of  that  number  never  recovered  from  their  fa- 
tigue, and  died  at  St.  Louis.  Those  who  yet  live  are  covered 
with  scars  ;  and  the  cruel  sufferings  to  which  they  havo 
exposed,  have  materially  shaken  their  cong<jtutio.af> 

VOL      II  7 


46  THE  ROTAL  GEORGB 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  ROYAL  GEORGE. 

On  the  29th  of  August,  1782,  it  was  found  necessary  tha 
the  Royal  George,  a  Hne-of-battle  ship  of  108  guns,  whick 
had  lately  arrived  at  Spithead  from  a  cruise,  should,  previous- 
ly to  her  going  again  to  sea,  undergo  the  operation  which  sea- 
men technically  call  a  Parliament  heel.  In  such  cases  the 
ship  is  inclined  in  a  certain  degree  on  one  side,  while  the  de- 
fects below  the  water-mark  on  the  other  side  are  examined 
and  repaired.  This  mode  of  proceeding  is,  we  believe  at  the 
present  day,  very  commonly  adopted  where  the  defects  to  be 
repaired  are  not  extensive,  or  where  (as  was  the  case  with 
the  Royal  George)  it  is  desirable  to  avoid  the  delay  of  going 
into  dock.  The  operation  is  usually  perfomed  in  still  weath- 
er and  smooth  water,  and  is  attended  with  so  little  difficulty 
and  danger,  that  the  officers  and  crew  usually  remain  on 
board,  and  neither  the  guns  nor  stores  are  removed. 

The  business  was  commenced  on  the  Royal  George  early 
in  the  morning,  a  gang  of  men  from  the  Portsmouth  Dock- 
yard coming  on  board  to  assist  the  ship's  carpenters.  It  is 
said  that,  finding  it  necessary  to  strip  off  more  of  the  sheath- 
ing than  had  been  intended,  the  men  in  their  eagerness  to 
reach  the  defect  in  the  ship's  bottom,  were  induced  to  heel  her 
too  much,  when  a  sudden  squall  of  wind  threw  her  wholly  on 
her  side;  and  the  gun -ports  being  open,  and  the  cannon  rol- 
ling over  to  the  depressed  side,  the  ship  was  unable  to  right 
herself,  instantaneously  filled  with  water,  and  went  to  the  bot- 
tom. 

The  fatal  accident  happened  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing. Admiral  Kempenfeldt  was  writing  in  his  cabin,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  people  were  between  decks.  The  ship, 
as  is  usually  the  case  upon  coming  into  port,  was  crowded 
with  people  from  the  shore,  particularly  women,  of  whom  ii 
is  supposed  there  were  not  less  than  three  hundred  on  board. 
Amongst  the  sufferers  were  many  of  the  wives  and  children 
of  the  petty  officers  and  seamen,  who,  knowing  the  ship  was 
shortly  to  sail  on  a  distant  and  perilous  service,  eagerly  em- 
'jraced  the  opportunity  of  visiting  thpir  husbands  and  fathers 


THE    ROYAL    GEORGtt  14? 

The  Admiiil,  with  many  brave  officers  and  most  of  those 
who  were  between  decks,  perished;  the  greater  number  o.1 
the  guard,  and  those  who  happened  to  be  on  the  upper  deck, 
were  saved  by  the  boats  of  the  fleet.  About  seventy  others 
were  likewise  saved.  The  exact  number  of  persons  on  board 
at  the  time  could  not  be  ascertained;  but  it  was  calculated 
that  from  800  to  1000  were  lost.  Captain  Waghorn  whose 
gallantry  in  the  North  Sea  Battle,  under  Admiral  Parker,  had 
procured  him  the  command  of  this  ship,  was  saved,  tho.igh  he 
was  severely  bruised  and  battered;  but  his  son,  a  lieutenant 
in  the  Royal  George,  perished.  Such  was  the  force  of  the 
whirlpool,  occasioned  by  the  sudden  plunge  of  so  vast  a  body 
in  the  water,  that  a  victualler  which  lay  alongside  the  Royal 
George  was  swamped;  and  several  small  craft,  at  a  consider- 
able distance,  were  in  imminent  danger. 

Admiral  Kempenfeldt,  who  was  nearly  70yearsof  age,waa 
peculiarly  and  universally  lamented.  In  point  of  general 
science  and  judgment,  he  was  one  of  the  first  naval  officers 
of  his  time;  and,  particularly  in  the  art  of  manoBUvringa  fleet, 
he  was  considered  by  the  commanders  of  that  day  as  unrival- 
led. His  excellent  qualities,  as  a  man,  are  said  to  have  equal- 
led his  professional  merits. 

This  melancholy  occurrence  has  been  recorded  by  the  poet 
Cowper,  ir  the  ibllowing  beautiful  lines: — 

Toll  for  the  brave! 

The  brave,  that  are  no  more! 
All  sunk  beneath  the  wave, 

Fast  by  their  native  shore 

Eight  hundred  of  tho  brave, 
Whose  courage  well  was  tried, 

Had  made  the  vessel  heel, 
And  laid  her  on  her  side. 

A  land-breeze  shook  the  shrouds, 

And  she  was  overset; 
Down  went  the  Royal  George, 

With  all  her  crew  complete 

Toll  for  the  brave! 

Brave  Kempenfeldt  is  gone; 
His  last  sea-right  is  fought; 

His  work  of  glory  done 


!4I  THE   £NEAS   TRANSPORT. 

It  waa  not  m  the  battle-, 

No  tempest  gave  the  shock, 

She  sprang  no  fatal  leak; 
She  ran  upon  no  rock. 

His  sword  was  in  its  sheath ; 

His  fingers  held  the  pen, 
When  Kempenfeldt  went  down, 

With  twice  four  hundred  men 

Weigh  the  vessel  up, 

Once  dreaded  by  our  foes! 

And  mingle  with  our  cup 
The  tear  that  England  owes. 

Her  timbers  yet  arc  sound, 
And  she  may  float  again, 

Full  charg'd  with  England's  thunde: 
And  plough  the  distant  main. 

But  Kempenfeldt  is  gone, 
His  victories  are  o'er; 

Arid  he,  and  his  eight  hundred, 
Shall  plough  the  wave  no  more 


LOSS  OF  THE  AENEAS  TRANSPORT 

The  JEneas  transport  sailed  with  3 17  so'ilg  on  board,  in 
eluding  a  party  of  men  belonging  to  the  100th  regiment  ol 
foot,  as  also  some  oilicers,  together  with  several  women  and 
children.  About  four  in  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  Oct.  1805, 
the  vessel  struck  violently  on  a  rock,  and  received  such  dam- 
age that  her  total  wreck  soon  became  evident  to  all  on  board. 
For  the  first  few  minutes  after  this  alarming  occurrence,  the 


THE    JENEAS    TRANSPORT.  14S 

women  and  children  clung  to  their  husbands  and  fathers;  but 
in  a  short  time,  a  prodigious  wave  swept  not  less  than  250  of 
those  miserable  people  into  the  ocean.  The  rock  whereon 
the  vessel  had  struck,  speedily  forced  its  way  through  the 
decks,  and  then  it  appears,  from  her  parting,  thirty-five  of 
the  survivors  were  driven  on  a  small  island  before  eight  in 
the  morning,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  but  when  she 
had  entirely  gone  to  pieces. 

The  narrative  of  these  events  was  collected  from  one  of 
the  survivors,  a  soldier  of  the  100th  regiment,  who  could  give 
no  correct  account  of  how  he  and  the  others  got  ashore,  but 
he  supposed  they  were  floated  in  by  part  of  the  wreck.  He 
remembered  to  have  observed  one  of  the  boys  endeavoring  to 
save  Major  Bertram,  whose  arm  was  broken  by  some  timber, 
and  he  was  on  the  point  of  sinking;  he  held  him  up  as  long 
as  his  strength  permitted;  but  to  save  his  own  life,  was  forced 
to  let  go  his  hold,  and  the  Major  perished. 

The  thirty-five  men  who  gained  the  shore,  consisted  of 
part  of  the  regiment,  two  of  whom  were  officers,  Lieutenant 
Dawson  and  Knsign  Faulkner,  and  seven  sailors.  Inmiedi 
ately  on  landing,  the  wind  unfortunately  changed,  so  that  not 
an  article  of  any  kind  was  saved  from  the  wreck.  Mr.  Faulk- 
ner was  aware  of  the  real  situation  they  had  reached,  judging 
the  main-land,  which  they  saw  about  a  mile  distant,  to  be 
Newfoundland,  and  that  they  were  about  300  miles  distant, 
from  the  town  of  St.  John's. 

After  passing  one  night  on  the  little  island,  they  construct- 
ed a  raft,  by  means  of  which,  thirty  of  them  arrived  on  the 
main  land.  Previous  to  this,  however,  four  survivors  of  the 
shipwreck  had  died,  among  whom  was  the  poor  fellow  who 
had  endeavored  to  save  .Major  Bertram.  Another,  who  had 
both  his  legs  broken,  was  missing,  as  he  had  crawled  away 
from  his  comrades,  that  he  might  die  in  quiet.  But  eight 
clays  afterwards,  he  was  found  alive,  though  in  a  shocking 
state,  as  his  feet  were  "rozen  off.  Yet  he  survived  ali  this, 
and  reached  Quebec  at  a  future  period.  Most  of  the  part)1 
set  out,  leaving  three  behind  them,  who  were  unable  to  walk 
from  brutses,  and  directed  their  course  towards  the  rising  sun: 
but  when  the  first  day  had  elapsed,  Lieutenant  Dawson  be- 
came incapable  of  keeping  up  with  the  remainder;  and  twc 
soldiers  staid  to  attend  him.  These  three  toiled  onwards  with- 
out any  food,  except  the  berries  which  they  found;  and  Lieu- 
tenant Dawson  was  then  unable  to  stand,  unless  supported.  — 
On  reach  ng  the  banks  of  a  river,  one  of  the  soldiers  attecrpt- 


160  THE    AREAS    TRANSPORT. 

cd  to  carry  him  across  on  his  back;  but  having  wadod  up  to 
the  neck,  he  was  obliged  to  return,  and  lay  him  down  on  the 
bank.  There  Mr.  Dawson  entreated  his  faithful  attendants 
to  make  the  best  of  their  way,  and  leave  him  to  his  fate;  and 
at  the  same  time,  affectionately  squeezing  their  hands,  he  en- 
treated them  to  inform  his  father  of  his  melancholy  end. — 
Here  the  soldier,  who  was  one  of  them,  and  who  related  these 
affecting  incidents,  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears  before  he  could 
proceed  "  We  staid  with  him,''  said  he,  "  until  we  did  not 
know  whether  he  was  alive  or  dead." 

The  two  survivors  continued  wandering  in  a  weak  and  fee- 
bie  state  for  twelve  days  longer,  making  twenty-six  in  all  from 
the  period  of  their  shipwreck,  and  subsisting  on  what  they 
could  find  on  a  barren  and  inhospitable  land.  But  after  the 
first  four  or  five  days,  they  suffered  no  hunger,  for,  as  they 
themselves  said,  their  misfortunes  were  so  great  as  to  banish 
its  influence,  and  to  deprive  them  of  the  sense  of  feeling. — 
Th?  snow  besides  was  so  deep  during  the  last  two  days,  as  to 
pre/ent  them  from  getting  the  berries  as  usual. 

At  last  they  were  found  by  a  man  belonging  to  a  hunting 
party,  who,  little  suspecting  to  see  human  beings  in  (hat  deso- 
late region,  took  them  at  a  distance  for  deer,  and  had  conceal- 
ed himself  behind  a  fallen  tree,  with  his  gun  pointed  towards 
one  of  them,  when  his  dog,  leaping  towards  them,  began  to 
bark,  and  shewed  his  error.  AVhen  they  related  their  ship- 
wreck, and  the  sufferings  they  had  endured,  tears  stole  down 
the  cheeks  of  the  huntsman,  and,  taking  the  mocasins  from 
his  feet,  gave  them  to  the  poor  miserable  creatures.  He  in- 
vited them  to  his  hunting  cabin,  saying  it  was  only  a  mile  off", 
though  the  real  distance  was  at  least  twelve  miles;  but,  by 
degrees  he  enticed  them  to  proceed,  and  at  length  they  gain- 
ed it.  On  approaching  the  hut,  four  or  five  men  came  out 
with  long  bloody  knives  in  their  hands,  when  the  narrator, 
turning  to  his  comrade,  exclaimed,  "  After  all  we  have  es- 
caped, are  we  brought  here  to  be  butchered  and  ate  up?" — 
But  they  soon  discovered  their  mistake,  for  the  men  had  been 
tutting  up  some  deer,  the  fruit  of  their  chase;  and  the  appear- 
ance of  the  unfortunate  soldiers  quickly  exciting  sentiments 
of  pity  in  their  breast,  they  produced  a  bottle  of  rum,  where- 
with they  were  refreshed. 

Every  possible  comfort  was  ministered  by  the  hunters  to  the 
unfortunate  wanderers,  and,  from  the  accounts  and  descrip- 
tion giveo  to  them,  they  set  out  in  quest  of  the  others.  They 
luckily  succeeded  in  finding  the  man  who  remained  the  first 


THE    JBNBAS     TRANSPORT.  151 

day  on  the  island,  and  also  the  other  two  who  were  unable  to 
leave  the  shore. 

The  two  men  who  had  accompanied  Lieutentant  Dawson, 
appeared  to  have  made  but  little  progress  during  twenty-six 
days  of  travelling,  for  they  were  discovered  in  a  place  not 
very  remote  from  whence  they  set  out.  Thus,  involved  among 
the  woods,  they  must  have  returned  over  the  same  ground 
that  they  had  passed. 

Those  who  the  huntsman  first  met  endeavored  to  make 
them  understand  where  they  might  find  the  remains  of  Lieu- 
tenant Dawson,  and  Ensign  Faulkner  and  his  party,  but  they 
could  spea<c  too  vaguely  of  where  they  had  themselves  been,  to 
give  any  pointed  directions  on  the  subject.  But  two  of  the  lat- 
ter were  found  by  a  man  on  another  hunting  excuision,  about 
90  miles  distant,  apparently  lifeless;  though  on  being  carried  to 
an  adjacent  settlement  they  recovered.  Of  the  whole  35  who 
survived  the  wreck  of  the  transport,  accounts  could  be  heard 
only  of  these  five. 

Ensign  Faulkner  was  a  strong,  active,  enterprising  man, 
and  fully  capable  of  adopting  whatever  means  could  be  de- 
vised for  preservation.  Both  he  and  Lieutenant  Dawson, 
who  was  scarce  more  than  17  years  of  age,  were  of  the  great- 
est promise.  While  the  transport  lay  about  three  miles  from 
Portsmouth,  they  are  said  to  have  swam  to  the  ship,  when  the 
former  climbed  up  her  side,  but  the  latter  was  nearly  ex- 
hausted. 

A  brig  from  Port,  which  touched  at  Newfoundland,  carried 
five  of  the  survivors  from  thence  to  Quebec;  and  when  they 
arrived  there  in  the  barrack  square,  a  most  affecting  scene 
ensued.  Men  and  women  eagerly  flocked  around  them, 
with  anxious  inquiries  for  some  friend  or  brother  who  was  on 
board  the  ill-fated  vessel.  But  all  they  could  answer  was. 
"  If  you  do  not  see  him  here,  be  assured  he  has  perished;  for, 
of  347  souls,  we  five  Irish  lads  and  two  sailors  are  all  that  re- 
main alive.'r  The  tears  and  exclamations  following  these 
words  can  scarce  be  described 


Iff  TH«    ABSENT    IUIP 


THE  ABSENT  SHIP 

Fair  ship,  1  saw  thee  bounding  o'er  the  deep, 
Thy  white  wings  glancing  in  the  morning  ray 

And  many  a  sparkling  eye  in  vain  did  weep 

For  the  bold  hearts  that  steer'd  thee  on  thy  w») 

Long  days  of  grief  have  lingered  into  years: 
Return!  return!  and  charm  away  their  tears. 

1  listen'd  till  the  music  and  the  song 
Died  on  the  waters  as  she  swept  along; 

I  watch'd  her  stately  beauty,  till  it  grew 
A  fading  shadow  on  the  distant  blue; 

Less,  and  still  less — the  waters  are  alone! 
Queen  of  the  ocean!  whither  art  thou  gone? 

The  wintry  storm  hath  sighed  itself  to  sleep, 
Yet  still  thou  lingerest  on  the  faithless  deep; 

Have  calmer  seas,  and  skies  of  deeper  blue, 
Charm'd  thee  to  bid  thine  island  home  adieu! 

Long  has  yon  dark-eye'd  maiden  wept  in  vain: 
Return!  return!  and  bid  her  smile  again. 

Long  may'st  thou  weep,  but  never  shall  thou  act 
Thy  fair-hair'd  mariner  return  to  thec, 

Clasp  thy  young  beauty  in  a  long  embrace, 
And  read  his  pardon  in  thy  happy  face; 

lliy  gentle  prayers,  fair  mourner,  could  not  save 
Thy  sailor  sleeps  within  the  stormy  wave. 


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ULSEWELL     lAVT    INDIAMAIf.  155 


LOSS  OF  THE  HALSEWELL. 

The  catastrophe  which  is  now  about  to  be  related  made  • 
deep  impression  on  the  public  mind.  The  circumstances  at- 
tending it  were  too  aggravating  not  to  excite  the  highest  de- 
gree of  commiseration,  whether  from  the  flattering  prospects 
held  forth  in  the  outset  of  the  voyage,  or  from  a  peculiar  feel- 
ing towards  the  condition  of  the  sufferers. 

The  Halsewell  East  Indiaman,  of  758  tons  burthen,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Richard  Pierce,  was  taken  up  by  the  di- 
rectors of  the  .East  India  Company  to  make  her  third  voyage 
to  Coast  and  Bay.  On  the  16th  of  November  1785, she  fell 
down  to  Gravesend,  where  she  completed  her  lading.  Ladies 
and  other  passengers  being  taken  on  board  at  the  Hope,  she 
sailed  through  the  Downs  on  Sunday  the  1st  of  January  1786; 
and,  when  abreast  of  Dunnose  next  morning,  the  weather  fell 
calm. 

Tli is  was  one  of  the  finest  ships  in  the  service,  and  judged 
to  be  in  the  most  perfect  condition  for  her  voyage.  Her  com- 
mander was  of  distinguished  ability  and  exemplary  character; 
his  ollicers  of  approved  fidelity  and  unquestionable  know- 
ledge in  their  profession,  and  the  crew  not  only  as  numerous 
as  the  East  India  establishment  admits,  but  the  best  seamen 
that  could  be  collected.  To  these  were  added  a  considerable 
body  of  soldiers,  destined  to  recruit  the  forces  of  the  East  In- 
dia Company  in  Asia. 

The  passengers  were  seven  ladies,  two  of  whom  were 
daughters  to  the  captain,  and  other  two  his  relations.  Miss 
Elizabeth  Blackburne,  daughter  of  Captain  Blackburne;  IMiss 
Mary  Haggard,  sister  to  an  officer  on  the  Madras  establish- 
ment, and  Miss  Anne  Mansell,  a  child  of  European  parents 
•esiding  in  Madras,  returning  from  her  education  in  Eng- 
land. There  was  also  Mr.  John  George  Schutz,  returning  to 
collect  part  of  his  fortune,  which  ho  had  led  behind  him  in 
India. 

The  ladies  were  equally  distinguished  by  their  beauty  and 
accomplishments;  the  gentlemen  of  amiable  manners,  and  ol 
a  highly  respectable  character.  Mr.  Burston,  the  chief  mate 


156  HALSEWELL     EAST    I2TDIAMAN. 

wras  also  related  to  Captain  Pierce's  lady,  and  the  whole  form- 
ed a  happy  society  united  in  friendship.  Nothing  could  bt 
more  pleasing  or  encouraging  than  the  outset  of  the  voyage 

On  Monday  the  2d  of  January,  a  breeze  from  the  south 
sprung  up  at  three  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  ship  ran  in 
shore  to  land  the  pilot.  Very  thick  weather  coming  on  in  the 
evening,  and  the  wind  baffling,  she  was  obliged  to  anchor,  at 
nine  o'clock,  in  eighteen  fathom  water.  The  topsails  were 
furled,  but  the  people  could  not  furl  the  courses,  the  snow 
falling  thick  and  freezing  as  it  fell. 

Mext  morning  at  four  a  strong  gale  came  on  from  east-north- 
east, and  the  ship  shivering,  tliey  were  obliged  to  cut  the  ca- 
bles and  run  out  to  sea.  At  noon  they  "spoke  with  a  brig 
bound  to  Dublin,  and,  having  put  the  pilot  on  board  of  her, 
immediately  bore  down  channel.  The  wind  freshening  at 
eight  in  the  evening,  and  coming  round  to  the  southward, 
such  sails  were  reefed  as  were  judged  necessary.  It  blew  a 
violent  gale  at  ten  o'clock  from  the  south,  whence  they  were 
obliged  to  carry  a  press  of  sail  to  keep  the  ship  of}'  shore. — 
In  doing  this,  the  hawse-plugs,  which  according  to  a  late  im- 
provement, were  put  inside,  were  washed  in,  and  the  hawse- 
ba<rs  washed  away,  in  consequence  of  which  the  vessel  ship- 
ped a  large  quantity  of  water  on  the  gun-deck. 

On  sounding  the  well,  and  finding  the  ship  had  sprung  a 
leak,  and  now  had  five  feet  water  in  the  hold,  the  people  clew- 
ed up  the  main-topsail,  hauled  up  the  mainsail,  and  immedi- 
ately endeavored  to  furl  both,  but  could  not  effect  it.  On 
discovering  the  leak  all  the  pumps  were  set  to  work. 

At  two  in  the  morning  of  Wednesday  the  fourth,  they  tried 
to  wear  the  ship,  but  without  success,  and  judging  it  necessa- 
ry to*  cut  away  the  mi/en-mast,  this  was  immediately  done, 
when  another  attempt  made  to  wear  her  was  equally  fruitless 
as  the  former.  The  ship  had  now  seven  feet  water  in  the 
hold  which  was  gaining  fast  on  the  pumps,  therefore,  for  her 
preservation  it  was  considered  expedient  to  cut  away  the 
mainmast,  as  she  appeared  to  be  in  immediate  danger  of 
foundering. 

In  the  fall  of  the  mast,  Jonathan  IMoreton,  coxswain,  and 
four  men,  were  either  drawn  along  with  the  wreck,  or  fell 
overboard  and  were  drowned.  By  eight  in  the  morning  the 
wreck  was  cleared,  and  the  ship  got  before  the  wind,  in  which 
position  she  was  kept  two  hours.  Meantime  the  pumps  re- 
duced the  water  in  the  hold  two  feet,  and  the  ship's  head  was 
brought  to  the  eastward  with  the  foresail  ouly. 


B4LSEWELL    BAST    INDIAMAN.  15 

At  ten  in  the  morning  the  wind  abated  considerably,  but 
he  ship  labouring  extremely,  rolled  the  fore-topmast  over  on 
he  larboard  side,  and,  in  the  fall,  the  wreck  went  through  the 
"bresail,  tearing  it  to  pieces.  At  eleven  the  wind  came  to  the 
westward,  and  the  weather  clearing  up,  the  Berryhead  was 
distinguishable,  bearing  north  and  by  east,  distant  four  or 
five  leagues.  Another  foresail  was  now  immediately  benl,  a 
Miry-mainmast  erected  and  a  top-gallantsail  set  for  a  main- 
sail, under  which  sail  Captain  Pierce  bore  up  for  Portsmouth, 
and  employed  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  getting  up  a  jury- 
mi/en-mast. 

At  two  next  morning,  the  wind  came  to  the  southward, 
blowing  fresh,  the  weather  being  very  thick.  Portland  was 
seen  at  noon,  bearing  north  and  by  east,  distant  two  or  three 
leagues.  At  night,  it  blew  a  strong  gale  at  south,  at  which 
time  the  Portland  lights  were  then  seen,  bearing  north- 
west, distant  four  or  five  leagues.  The  ship  was  then  wore, 
and  her  head  got  round  to  the  westward;  but  finding  she  lost 
ground  on  that  tack,  the  captain  wore  her  again,  and  kept 
stretching  on  to  the  eastward,  in  hopes  to  have  weathered 
Pevercl  Point,  in  which  case  he  intended  to  have  anchored  in 
Studland  Bay.  It  cleared  at  eleven  at  night,  and  St.  Alban's 
Head  wds  seen  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  leeward,  on  which, 
sail  was  instantly  taken  in,  and  the  small  bower  anchor  let  go, 
which  brought  up  the  ship  at  a  whole  cable.  She  rode  for 
about  an  hour,  but  then  drove;  the  sheet  anchor  was  now  let 
go,  and  a  whole  cable  wore  away,  and  the  ship  rode  for  about 
two  hours  longer,  when  she  drove  again. 

While  in  this  situation,  the  captain  sent  for  Mr.  Henry 
Meriton,  the  second  mate,  and  asked  his  opinion  as  to  the 
probability  of  saving  the  lives  of  those  on  board;  to  which  he 
replied  with  equal  calmness  and  candor,  that  he  apprehended 
there  was  very  little  hope  of  it,  as  the  ship  was  driving  fast 
on  shore,  and  might  every  moment  be  expected  to  strike.  The 
uoats  were  then  mentioned,  but  it  was  agreed,  that  although 
at  that  time  they  could  be  of  very  little  use,  yet  in  case  an 
opportunity  of  making  them  serviceable  should  present  itself, 
it  was  proposed  that  the  officers  should  be  confidentially  re- 
quested to  reserve  the  long  boat  for  the  ladies  and  themselves; 
and  this  precaution  was  immediately  taken. 

About  two  in  the  morning  of  Friday  the  sixth  of  January, 
the  ship  still  driving,  and  approaching  very  fast  to  the  shore, 
fhe  same  officer  went  again  into  the  cuddy,  where  the  cap- 
tain then  was.  Another  conversation  taking  place,  Captain 


68  HALSEWELL    EAST     INUJAMAff. 

ierce  expressed  extreme  anxiety  for  the  peservation  of  his 
•eloved  daughters,  and  earnestly  asked  the  officer  if  he  could 
iev:so  any  method  of  saving  them.  On  his  answering  with 
jreat  concern,  that  he  feared  it  would  be  impossible,  but  that 
heir  only  chance  would  be  to  wait  for  morning,  the  captf  in 
ifted  up  his  hands  in  silent  and  distressful  ejaculation. 

At  this  dreadful  moment,  the  ship  struck,  with  such  vio- 
ence  as  to  dash  the  heads  of  those  standing  in  the  cuddy 
igainst  the  deck  above  them,  and  the  shock  was  accompanied 
,y  a  shriek  of  horror  that  burst  at  one  instant  from  every 
juarter  of  the  ship. 

Many  of  the  seamen,  who  had  been  remarkably  inattentive 
tnd  remiss  in  their  duty  during  a  great  part  of  the  storm,  now 
toured  upon  deck,  where  no  exertions  of  the  officers  could 
:eep  them,  while  their  assistance  might  have  been  useful. — 
They  had  actually  skulked  in  their  hammocks,  leaving  the 
vorking  of  the  pumps  and  other  necessary  labours  to  the  offi- 
cers of  the  ship,  and  the  soldiers,  who  had  made  uncommon 
•.xertions.  Roused  by  a  sense  of  their  danger,  the  same  sea- 
nen,  at  this  moment,  in  frantic  exclamations,  demanded  of 
teaven  and  their  fellow  sufferers,  that  succour  which  their 
»wn  efforts  timely  made  might  possibly  have  procured. 

The  ship  continued  to  beat  on  the  rocks,  and  soon  bilging, 
ell  with  her  broadside  towards  the  shore.  When  she  struck, 
i  number  of  men  climbed  up  the  ensign-staff,  under  an  appre- 
tension  of  her  immediately  going  to  pieces. 

Mr.  Meriton,  the  second  mate,  at  this  crisis  offered  to  these 
mhappy  beings  the  best  advice  which  could  be  given;  he  re- 
ommended  tnat  all  should  come  to  the  side  of  the  ship  lying 
jwest  on  the  rocks,  and  singly  to  take  the  opportunities 
yhich  might  then  offer,  of  escaping  to  the  shore. 

Having  thus  provided  to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  for  the 
afety  of  the  desponding  crew,  he  returned  to  the  round- 
ousc,  where,  by  this  time,  all  the  passengers,  and  most  of 
le  officers  had  assembled.  The  latter  were  employed  in  of- 
?ring  consolation  to  the  unfortunate  ladies,  and  \vith  unnar- 
lleled  magnanimity,  suffering  their  compassion  for  the  fair 
nd  aimable  companions  of  their  misfortunes,  to  prevail  over 
le  sense  of  their  own  danger. 

In  this  charitable  work  of  comfort,  Mr.  Meriton  now  join- 
d,  by  assurances  of  his  opinion,  that  the  ship  would  hold  to- 
ether  till  the  morning,  when  all  would  be  safe.  Captain 
'ierce  observing  one  of  the  young  gentlemen  loud  in  his  ex- 

amations  of  terror,  and  frequently  cry  that   the   ship   was 


HALSEWELL    EAST    INDIAMAN  1$ 

parting,  cheerfully  bid  him  be  quiet,  rema:king>  that  though 
the  ship  should  go  to  pieces,  he  would  not,  but  would  be  safe 
enough. 

It  is  difficult  to  convey  a  correct  idea  of  the  scene  of  this 
deplorable  catastrophe,  without  describing  the  place  where  it 
happened. 

The  Halsewell  struck  on  the  rocks  near  Seacombe,  on  the 
island  of  Purbeck,  between  Peverel  Point  and  St.  Alban's 
Head,  at  a  part  of  the  shore  where  the  cliff  is  of  vast  height, 
and  rises  almost  perpendicular  from  its  base.  But  at  this  partic- 
ular spot,  the  foot  of  the  cliff  is  excavated  into  a  cavern  of  ten 
or  twelve  yards  in  depth,  and  of  breadth  equal  to  the  length  of 
a  large  ship.  The  sides  of  the  cavern  are  so  nearly  upright 
as  to  be  of  extremely  difficult  access;  and  the  bottom  is  strew- 
ed with  sharp  and  uneven  rocks,  which  seem,  by  some  convul- 
sion of  the  earth,  to  have  been  detached  from  its  roof. 

The  fhip  lay  with  her  broadside  opposite  to  the  mouf'i  of 
this  cavern,  with  her  whole  length  stretched  almost  from  side  to 
side  of  it.  But  when  she  struck,  it  was  too  dark  fry  the  un- 
fortunate persons  on  board  to  discover  the  real  magnitude  of 
their  danger,  and  the  extreme  horror  of  such  ?.  situation. — 
Even  Mr.  Meriton  entertained  a  hope  that  she  might  keep 
together  till  day-light;  and  endeavored  to  cheer  his  drooping 
friends,  and  in  particular  the  unhappy  ladies,  with  this  com- 
fortable expectation,  as  an  answer  to  the  captain's  inquiries 
what  he  thought  of  their  condition. 

In  addition  to  the  company  already  in  the  round-house,  they 
had  admitted  three  black  women  and  two  soldier's  wives,  who, 
with  the  husband  of  one  of  them,  had  been  allowed  to  come  in, 
though  the  seamen,  who  had  tumultuously  demanded  entrance 
to  get  the  lights,  had  been  opposed  and  kept  out  by  Mr.  liog- 
ers  and  Mr.  Brimer,  the  third  and  fifth  mates.  The  numbers 
there  were  therefore  now  increased  to  near  fifty.  Capt.  Pierce 
sat  on  a  chair,  a  cot  or  some  other  moveable,  with  a  daughter 
on  each  side,  whom  he  alternately  pressed  to  his  affectionate 
breast.  The  rest  of  the  melancholy  assembly  were  seated  on 
the  deck,  which  was  strewed  with  musical  instruments,  and 
the  wreck  of  furniture  and  other  articles. 

Here  also  Mr.  Meriton,  after  having  cut  several  wax  can- 
dies in  pieces  and  stuck  them  up  in  various  parts  of  the  round- 
house, and  lighted  up  all  the  glass  lanthorns  Le  could  find, 
took  his  seat,  intending  to  wait  the  approach  of  dawn;  and 
then  assist  the  partners  of  his  danger  to  escape.  But  ob- 
serving that  the  poor  ladies  appeared  parched  and  exhausted. 


160  HALSEWRI.L  BAST  INDIAMAII. 

he  brought  a  basket  of  oranges  and  prevailed  on  some  jf  them 
to  refresh  themselves  by  sucking  a  little  of  the  juice.  At  thi« 
time  they  were  all  tolerably  composed,  except  Miss  Mansel, 
who  was  in  hysteric  fits,  on  the  floor  of  the  deck  of  the 
round-house. 

.But  on  Mr.  Mcriton's  return  to  the  company,  he  perceived 
a  considerable  alteration  in  the  appearance  of  the  ship;  the 
sides  were  visibly  giving  way;  the  deck  seemed  to  be  lilting 
and  he  discovered  other  strong  indications  that  she  could  not 
hold  much  longer  together.  On  this  account,  he  attempted 
to  go  forward  to  look  out,  but  immediately  saw  that  the  ship 
had  separated  in  the  middle,  and  that  the  fore-part  having 
changed  its  position,  lay  further  towards  the  sea.  In  such 
an  emergency,  when  the  next  moment  might  plunge  him  into 
eternity,  he  determined  to  seize  the  present  opportunity,  and 
follow  the  example  of  the  crew  and  the  soldiers,  who  were 
now  quitting  the  ship  in  numbers,  and  making  their  way  to 
the  shore,  though  quite  ignorant  of  its  nature  and  descrip- 
tion. 

Among  other  expedients,  the  ensign-staff  had  been  unship- 
ped, and  attempted  to  be  laid  between  the  ship's  side  and 
some  of  the  rocks,  but  without  success,  for  it  snapped  assun- 
der  before  it  reached  them.  However,  by  the  light  of  a  Ian- 
thorn  which  a  seaman  handed  through  a  sky-light  of  the 
round-house  to  the  deck,  Mr.  JMeriton  discovered  a  spar  which 
appeared  to  be  laid  from  the  ship's  side  to  the  rocks,  and  on 
this  spar  he  resolved  19  attempt  his  escape. 

Accordingly  lying  down  upon  it,  he  thrust  himself  forward; 
however,  he  soon  found  that  it  had  no  communication  with 
the  rock;  he  reached  the  end  of  it  and  then  slipped  ofl,  re- 
ceiving a  very  violent  bruise  in  his  fall,  and  before  he  could 
recover  his  legs,  he  was  washed  olT  by  the  surge.  He  now 
supported  himself  by  swimming,  until  a  returning  wave  dash- 
ed him  against  the  back  part  of  the  cavern.  Jlere  he  laid 
hold  of  a  small  projection  in  the  rock,  but  was  so  much  be- 
numbed that  he  was  on  the  point  of  quitting  it,  when  a  sea- 
man, who  had  already  gained  a  footing,  extended  his  hand, 
«.nd  assisted  him  until  he  could  secure  himself  a  little  on  the 
rock;  from  which  he  clambered  on  a  shelf  stil  higher,  and  out 
of  the  reach  of  the  surf. 

Mr.  Kogers,  the  third  mate,  remained  with  the  captain,  and 
the  unfortunate  ladies  and  their  companions,  nearly  twenty 
nJnutes  after  Mr.  Meriton  had  quitted  the  ship.  Soon  aftef 
the  latter  left  the  round-house,  the  captain  asked  what  wa« 


EAST    I.fDIAMAJf.  1C 

become  of  him,  to  which  Mr  Rogers  replied,  that  he  wat 
gone  on  deck  to  see  what  could  be  done.  After  this,  a  heavy 
sea  breaking  over  the  ship,  the  ladies  exclaimed,  "  O  poor 
Meriton!  he  is  drowned!  had  he  staid  with  us  he  would  have 
been  safe!"  and  they  all,  particularly  Miss  Mary  Pierce,  ex- 
pressed great  concern  at  the  apprehension  of  his  loss.  On 
this  occasion  Mr.  Rogers  offered  to  go  and  call  in  Mr.  Meri- 
.on,  but  it  was  opposed  by  the  ladies,  from  an  apprehension 
that  he  might  share  the  same  fate. 

The  sea  was  now  breaking  in  at  the  fore-part  of  the  ship, 
and  reached  as  far  as  the  main-mast.  Captain  Pieice  gave 
Mr.  Rogers  a  nod,  and  they  took  a  lamp  and  went  together 
into  the  stern-gallery,  where,  after  viewing  the  rocks  for  some 
time,  Captain  Pierce  asked  Mr.  Rogers  if  he  thought  there 
was  any  possibility  of  saving  the  girls;  to  which  he  replied, 
he  feared  there  was  none;  for  they  could  only  discover  the 
black  face  of  the  perpendicular  rock,  and  not  the  cavern 
which  afforded  shelter  to  those  who  escaped.  They  then  re- 
turned to  the  round-house,  where  Mr.  Rogers  hung  up  the 
lamp,  and  Captain  Pierce  sat  down  between  his  two  daugh- 
ters, struggling  to  suppress  the  parental  tears  which  burst 
into  his  eyes. 

The  sea  continuing  to  break  in  very  fast,  Mr.  Macmanus, 
a  midshipman,  and  Mr.  Schutz,  asked  Mr.  Rogers  what  they 
could  do  to  escape.  "  Follow  me,"  he  replied,  and  they  all 
went  into  the  stern  gallery,  and  from  thence  to  the  upper- 
quarter-gallery  on  the  poop.  While  there,  a  very  heavy  sea 
fell  on  board  and  the  round-house  gave  way;  Mr.  Rogers 
heard  the  ladies  shriek  at  intervals,  as  if  the  water  reached 
them;  the  noise  of  the  sea,  at  other  times,  drowning  their 
voices. 

Mr.  Brimer  had  followed  him  to  the  poop,  where  they  re 
mained  together  about  five  miuutes;  when  on  the  breaking  of 
this  heavy  sea,  they  jointly  seized  a  hen-coop.  The  same 
wave  which  proved  fatal  to  some  of  those  below,  carried  him 
and  his  companion  to  the  rock,  on  which  they  were  .violently 
dashed  and  miserably  bruised. 

Here  on  the  rock  were  twenty-seven,  but  it  now  being  low 
water,  and  as  they  were  convinced  that  on  the  flowing  of  the 
tide  all  must  be  washed  off,  many  tried  to  get  to  the  back  or 
the  sides  of  the  cavern,  beyond  the  reach  of  the  returning 
sea.  Scarcely  more  than  six,  besides  Mr.  Rogers  and  Mr. 
Brimer,  succeeded;  of  the  others,  some  shared  the  fa'»d  which 
they  had  apprehended,  and  others  perished  in  their  efforts  to 


69  UALSEWELL    EAST    1ND1AMAN 

;ct  into  the  cavern.  Mr.  Rogers  and  Mr.  Burner  both  reach- 
jd  it,  however,  and  scrambled  up  the  rock,  on  narrow  shelves 
>f  which  they  fixed  themselves.  Mr.  Ropers  got  so  near  hia 
ricnd,  Mr.  Meriton,  as  to  exchange  mutual  congratulations 
yith  him.  A  warm  friendship,  indeed,  subsisted  between 
hese  two  gentlemen;  they  had  made  a  long  and  painful  voy- 
ige  together,  in  another  Indiaman,  where  they  survived  an 
mcomrnon  mortality  by  which  the  crew  were  visited.  They 
•eturncd  to  England,  and  an  interval  of  only  twenty-five  day» 
slapsed,  before  they  again  embarked  in  the  HalseweH. 

Mr.  Rogers  on  gaining  this  station,  was  so  nearly  exhausted, 
hat  had  his  exertions  been  protracted  only  a  few  minut'>s 
ongcr,  he  must  have  sunk  under  them.  He  was  now  prevent- 
•d  from  joining  Mr.  Meriton,  by  at  least  twenty  men  between 
hem,  none  of  whom  could  move  without  the  imminent  peril  of 
us  life. 

They  found  that  a  very  considerable  number  of  the  crew, 
teamen,  and  soldiers,  and  some  petty  oilicers,  were  in  the  same 
situation  as  themselves,  though  many  who  had  reached  the 
'ocks  below,  perished  in  attempting  to  ascend.  They  could 
fct  discern  some  part  of  the  ship,  and  in  their  dreary  station 
iolaced  themselves  with  the  hope  of  its  remaining  entire  un- 
il  day-break;  for  in  the  midst  of  fheir  own  distress,  the  suf- 
erings  of  the  females  on  board  affected  them  with  the  most 
>oignant  anguish;  and  every  sea  that  broke,  inspired  them 
*ith  terror  for  their  safety. 

I  Jut,  alas,  their  apprehensions  were  too  soon  realized! — 
Within  a  very  few  minutes  of  the  time  that  Mr.  Rogers  gain- 
id  the  rock,  an  universal  shriek,  which  long  vibrated  in  their 
jars,  in  which  the  voice  of  female  distress  was  lamentably 
listinguished,  announced  the  dreadful  catastrophe.  In  a  few 
iioments  all  was  hushed,  except  the  roaring  of  the  winds  and 
.he  dashing  of  the  waves;  the  wreck  was  buried  in  the  deep, 
ind  aot  an  atom  of  it  was  ever  afterwards  seen. 

The  shock  which  this  gave  to  the  trembling  wretches  in  the 
:avern  was  awful.  Though  themselves  hardly  rescued  from 
,he  sea,  and  still  surrounded  by  impending  dangers,  they  wept 
"or  the  destiny  of  their  unhappy  companions.  But  this  was 
lot  all.  Many  who  had  gained  a  precarious  station,  weaken 
sd  with  injuries,  benumbed  and  battered  by  the  tempest,  for- 
sook their  hold-fasts,  and,  tumbling  on  the  rocks  below,  per- 
•.shed  beneath  the  feet  of  their  miserable  companions.  Their 
dying  groans  and  exclamations  for  pity,  only  tended  to  awak- 
3n  more  painful  apprehensions,  and  increase  the  terror  of  the 
•unrivor* 


UAtSEWELL    BAST     INDlAMAlf.  169 

A'  length  after  three  hours,  which  appeared  so  many  ages, 
day  broke,  but  instead  of  bringing  relief  to  the  suflcrers,  it 
only  served  to  disclose  the  horrors  of  their  situation.  They 
now  found,  that  had  the  country  been  alarmed  by  the  guns  of 
distress  which  they  had  continued  to  fire  for  many  hours  be- 
fore the  ship  struck,  but  which  were  not  heard,  owing  to  the 
violence  of  the  storm,  they  could  neither  be  observed  by  the 
people  from  above,  nor  could  any  boat  live  below.  They 
were  completely  overhung  by  the  cliff,  so  that  no  ropes  let 
down  could  reach  them;  nor  did  any  part  of  the  wreck  re- 
main as  a  guide  to  their  retreat. 

The  only  prospect  of  saving  themselves,  was  to  creep  along 
the  side  of  the  cavern  to  its  outward  extremity,  and  on  a  ledge 
scarcely  as  broad  as  a  man's  hand,  to  turn  the  corner,  and  en- 
deavor to  clamber  up  the  precipice,  almost  perpendicular,  and 
nearly  200  feet  high  from  the  bottom. — And  in  this  desperate 
effort  some  did  succeed,  while  others,  trembling  with  fear, 
and  exhausted  by  the  preceding  conflict,  lost  their  footing  and 
perished  in  the  attempt. 

The  first  who  gained  the  top,  were  the  cook  and  James 
Thompson,  a  quarter-master;  the  moment  they  reached  it, 
they  hastened  to  the  nearest  house  and  made  known  the  con- 
dition of  their  comrades.  This  was  Eastington,  the  habita- 
tion of  Mr.  Garland,  steward  to  the  proprietors  of  the  Per- 
beck  quarries.  He  immediately  collected  the  workmen,  and 
procuring  ropes  with  all  possible  despatch,  made  the  most  hu- 
mane and  zealous  exertions  for  the  relief  of  the  surviving 
people. 

Mr.  Meriton  made  a  similar  attempt  to  that  of  the  two  oth- 
ers, and  almost  reached  the  edge  of  the  precipice.  A  soldier 
«vho  preceded  him  had  his  feet  on  a  small  projecting  rock  or 
stone  on  which  also  Meriton  had  fastened  his  hands  to  aid  his 
progress.  At  tins  critical  moment  the  quarryrnen  arrived, 
and  seeing  a  man  so  nearly  within  their  reach,  they  dropped  a 
rope  to  him,  of  which  he  immediately  laid  hold;  and  in  a  vi- 
gorous effort  to  avail  himself  of  this  advantage,  loosened  tho 
stone  on  which  he  stood,  and  which  supported  Mr.  Meriton. 
It  giving  way,  Mr.  Meriton  must  have  been  precipitated  to 
the  bottom,  had  not  a  rope  at  that  instant  providentially  been 
lowered  to  him,  which  he  seized,  when  absolutely  in  the  act 
of  falling,  and  was  safely  drawn  to  the  summit. 

But  the  fate  of  Mr.  lirimor  was  peculiarly  severe.  Only 
aine  days  before  the  ship  sailed,  he  had  been  married  to  a 
beatiful  young  lady,  the  daughter  of  Captain  .Norman  of  the 


164  UALSEWEIL    EAST     IJJDIAMAK. 

royal  navy,  in  which  service  he  was  a  lieutcntant.  and  now  01 
a  visit  to  an  i.ncle  at  Madras;  after  getting  ashore  with  Mr 
Ropers  and  up  the  side  of  the  cavern,  he  remained  until  morn- 
ing, when  he  crawled  out.  A  rope  being  thrown  to  him,  he 
was  eithe.-  so  benumbed  with  cold  as  to  fasten  it  insecurely 
about  his  body,  or  from  some  other  cause  or  agitation,  to  ne- 
glect doing  it  completely;  at  the  moment  when  about  to  be 
rescued  from  his  perilous  stand,  he  fell  and  was  dashed  to 
pieces  in  the  presence  of  his  companions. 

More  assistance  was  obtained  as  the  day  advanced;  and  as 
the  efforts  of  the  survivors  permitted,  they  crawled  to  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  cavern  and  presented  themselves  to  their  pre- 
servers above,  who  stood  prepared  to  assist  them.  The 
means  of  doing  so,  was  by  two  men  boldly  approaching  the 
very  brink  of  the  precipice,  a  rope  being  tied  round  them  and 
fastened  to  a  strong  iron  bar  fixed  in  the  ground;  behind  them 
were  two  more,  the  like  number  further  back  and  so  on.  A 
strong  rope  also  properly  secured,  passed  round  them,  by 
which  they  might  hold,  and  preserve  themselves  from  falling. 
They  then  let  down  a  rope  with  a  noose  ready  made,  below  to 
the  cavern,  and  the  wind  blowing  hard,  it  was  in  some  instan- 
ces forced  under  the  projecting  rock,  sufficiently  for  the  suf- 
ferers to  reach  it,  without  creeping  out.  Whoever  caught  it, 
put  the  noose  round  his  body,  and  was  drawn  up.  The  dis- 
tance from  the  top  of  the  rock  to  the  cavern,  was  at  least  an 
hundred  feet,  and  the  rock  projected  about  eight;  ten  feet 
formed  a  declivity  to  the  edge,  and  the  rest  was  perpen- 
dicular. 

Many,  however,  in  attempting  to  secure  themselves,  shar- 
ed the  fate  of  Mr.  Brimer,  and,  unable,  from  weakness  or  per 
turbation,  to  benefit  by  the  assistance  offered  from  above,  they 
were  at  last  precipitated  from  the  cliff,  and  were  either  dash- 
ed to  pieces  on  the  rocks  below,  or  perished  in  the  waves. — 
Among  those  unhappy  sufferers  was  one  who  being  washed 
off  the  rock,  or  falling  into  the  sea,  was  carried  out  by  the  re- 
turn of  the  waves  beyond  the  breakers,  within  which  his  ut- 
most efforts  could  never  again  bring  him,  but  he  was  tiways 
further  withdrawn  by  the  sea.  He  swam  remarkably  well, 
and  continued  to  struggle  in  sight  of  his  companions,  until  .his 
strength  bring  exhausted,  he  sunk  to  rise  no  more. 

It  was  laie  in  the  day  before  all  the  survivors  gained  the 
land;  one  indeed  a  soldier,  remained  in  this  precarious  sta- 
tion until  the  morning  of  Saturday  the  7th  of  January;  ex- 
posed to  the  utmost  danger  and  distress.  When  the  officers, 


HALSEWELL    EAST     INDIAMAH.  165 

•eam,en  and  soldiers,  were  mustered  at  the  house  of  I\Tr.  Gar- 
and,  they  were  found  to  amount  to  seventy-four;  and  these 
teere  the  only  persons  saved  out  of  rather  more  than  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  that  were  on  board  when  the  ship  sailed 
through  the  Downs,  including  the  passengers.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  above  fifty  of  the  remainder  reached  the  rocks,  but 
were  then  washed  off  or  fell  from  the  cliffs;  and  that  fifty,  or 
more,  sunk  with  the  captain  and  the  ladies  in  the  round-house, 
when  the  after-part  went  to  pieces.  An  accurate  account  of 
he  whole  numbers  in  the  ship  could  never  be  obtained,  as  the 
»ast  returns  dispatched  from  her  did  not  arrive. 

The  whole  who  reached  the  summit  of  the  rock  survived, 
excepting  two  or  three  who  were  supposed  to  have  expired 
while  drawing  up,  and  a  black  who  died  soon  afterwards; 
though  many  were  severely  bruised. 

Mr.  Meriton  and  Mr.  Rogers  having  been  supplied  with  the 
necessary  means  of  making  their  journey  by  JNIr.  Garland, 
set  off  for  London  to  carry  the  tidings  of  this  disaster  to  the 
India  House,  where  they  arrived  at  noon,  on  Sunday  the  8th. 
On  the  way  they  acquainted  the  magistrates  of  the  towns 
through  which  they  passed,  that  a  number  of  shipwrecked 
seamen  would  soon  be  on  the  road  to  the  metropolis.  This 
they  did  to  avert  any  suspicions  of  their  travelling  for  some 
other  intent.  It  is  truly  deserving  of  communication,  that 
the  master  of  the  Crown-Inn  at  Blandford,  Dorsetshire,  not 
only  sent  for  all  the  distressed  seamen  to  his  house,  where  he 
liberally  refreshed  them,  but  presented  each  with  half  a  crown 
on  his  departure. 

By  this  unfortunate  shipwreck,  all  the  passengers  perished. 
The  ladies  were  peculiarly  endowed  with  beauty  and  accom- 
plishments. The  captain  was  a  man  of  distinguished  worth; 
humane  and  generous.  (He  left,  besides  those  two  daughters 
who  suffered  along  with  him,  six  other  children  and  a  widow 
to  deplore  his  loss.)  Most  of  the  officers  also  perished;  one 
of  them,  Mr.  Thomas  Jeane,  a  midshipman,  who  was  under 
the  immediate  care  of  Captain  Pierce,  after  gaining  the  rock 
was  swept  otf  by  the  waves.  Swimming  well  he  again  reach- 
ed i.;  but  unable  to  support  the  weakness  which  assailed  him, 
and  the  beating  of  the  storm,  he  yielded  his  hold  and  perished 
in  the  sea. 


68  RUSSIANS    ABANDONED    ON     BPITZBERG1* 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  FOUR  RUSSIAN  SAILORS, 

ABANDONED   ON   THE     ISLAND     OF   EAST    SFITZBERGEN. 

In  tr3  year  1743,  a  merchant  of  JMesen,  in  Russia,  fitted 
out  a  vessel  for  the  Greenland  whale-fishery.  She  carried 
.fourteen  men,  and  was  destined  for  Spitzbergen.  For  eight 
successive  days  after  their  sailing  the  Wind  was  fair,  but  on 
the  ninth  it  changed;  so  that  instead  of  getting  to  the  coast  of 
Spitzbergen,  the  usual  rendezvous  of  the  Dutch  ships,  they 
were  driven  eastward,  and  after  some  days  elapsed  they  found 
themselves  near  an  island,  called  by  the  Russians  Little  Broun 
Approaching  within  three  versts,  or  two  English  miles  of  this 
island,  the  vessel  was  suddenly  surrounded  by  ice  and  the 
crew  were  reduced  to  an  extremely  dangerous  situation. 

In  this  alarming  state,  a  council  was  held  when  the  mate, 
Alexis  Himkof,  informed  his  comrades  that  some  of  the  peo- 
ple of  JMesen  formerly  intended  wintering  on  this  island,  and 
for  that  purpose  had  carried  timber  hither,  fit  for  building  a 
hut,  and  actually  erected  one  at  some  distance  from  the  shore. 

The  whole  crew,  therefore,  concluded  to  winter  there,  if 
t':e  hut,  as  they  hoped,  still  existed,  because  tb>./  were  ex- 
posed to  imminent  danger  by  remaining  in  the  shij; ,  and  they 
would  infallibly  perish  if  they  did  so.  Four  of  the  crew  were 
on  that  account,  dispatched  in  search  of  it,  or  rtnj  other  as- 
sistance they  might  meet  with. 

The  names  of  these  four  were,  Alexis  Ilimkof,  Iwan  Ilim- 
kof,  Stephen  Scharapof  and  Feeder  Weregin.  Two  miles  of 
ice  intervened  between  them  and  the  shore,  which  being  loose 
and  driven  together  by  the  wind,  rendered  their  approach  dif- 
ficult and  dangerous.  Poviding  themselves  with  a  musket,  a 
powder-horn  containing  twelve  charges  of  powder,  with  as 
many  balls,  an  axe,  a  kettle,  about  twen'y  pounds  of  flour,  a 
Lnife,  a  tinder-box,  some  tobacco  and  each  his  wooden  pipe, 
they  soon  arrived  on  the  island. 

Their  first  employment  was  exploring  the  country,  when 
they  discovered  the  hut  alluded  to,  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  shore.  It  was  thirty-six  feet  long,  eighteen  broad 


RUSSIANS    ABANDONED    ON    SPITZBERGEN.  16 

and  eighteen  high;  and  consisted  of  two  chambers.  Rejoi 
cing  greatly  at  their  success,  they  passed  the  night  in  i 
though  having  been  built  a  considerable  time,  it  had  suflere 
much  from  the  weather. 

Next  morning  the  four  men  hastened  to  the  shore,  impatien 
to  communicate  their  good  fortune  to  their  comrades;  ^ke 
wise  designing  to  get  such  stores,  ammunition  and  neces 
saries  from  the  vessel,  as  to  enable  them  to  winter  on  the  isl 
and  But  the  reader  may  conceive  their  sorrow  and  aston 
ishment,  when  on  reaching  the  place  where  they  had  landed 
nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  an  open  sea,  instead  of  the  ice 
which  only  the  day  preceding  had  covered  it.  Doubtless  ; 
violent  storm,  which  arose  during  the  night,  had  operated  th< 
change.  It  was  not  known,  however,  whether  the  vessel  ha» 
been  beat  to  pieces  by  the  ice,  or  whether  she  had  been  car 
ried  by  the  current  to  the  ocean;  not  an  uncommon  event  ii 
Greenland.  Whatever  accident  befel  her,  certain  it  is  thej 
saw  her  no  more;  whence  it  is  probable  that  she  sunk,  an* 
that  all  on  board  perished. 

This  unfortunate  occurrence  deprived  them  of  the  hope  o 
ever  being  able  to  quit  the  island,  and  full  of  horror  and  de 
spair,  they  returned  to  the  hut.  But  their  first  attention  wa 
directed  to  the  means  of  providing  subsistence,  and  repairin 
their  habitation.  The  twelve  charges  of  powder  procure 
them  as  many  rein-deer,  for  the  island,  fortunately  for  then 
abounded  with  these  animals. 

Though  there  were  many  crevices  in  the  building,  the  woo 
of  the  hut  was  still  sound  and  unimpaired,  therefore  the  d< 
ficiency  was  supplied  and  done  the  more  easily,  because  tl 
lower  class  of  Russians  are  expert  carpenters.  Here  the 
had  plenty  of  moss  to  assist  them. 

The  intense  cold  of  the  climate  prevents  the  growth  < 
vegetables,  and  no  species  of  tree  or  shrub  is  found  on  tr. 
;slands  of  Spitzbergcn.  The  Russians,  however,  collected 
quantity  of  wood  on  the  shore,  which  at  first  consisted  of  tr. 
wrecks  of  vessels,  and  afterwards  of  whole  trees  with  the 
roots,  the  produce  of  some  more  hospitable  climate,  thoug 
unknown.  Fortunately  they  found  several  bits  of  old  iroi 
some  nails,  five  or  six  inches  long,  and  an  iron  hook,  on  a  fe 
wooden  boards  washed  in  by  the  sea  They  likewise  foun 
the  root  of  a  fir  tree,  bent  and  nearly  fashioned  into  the  sha[ 
of  a  bow. 

By  the  help  of  a  knife,  a  bow  was  soon  formed  but  wantin 
a  string  and  arrows.  Unable  at  present  to  procure  eithf 


168 


RUSSIANS    ABANDONED    ON    SP1TZBERGEN, 


they  resolved  to  make  two  lances  to  defend  themselves  agairsl 
the  white  bears.  The  iron  hook  w»3  therefore  fashioned  intc 
a  han.mcr,  by  widening  a  hole  wh'.ch  it  happened  to  have 
about  the  middle,  with  one  of  the  largest  nails.  A  large  peb- 
ble served  for  an  anvil,  and  a  couple  of  rein-deer  horns  serv- 
ed for  the  tongs. 

Ky  means  of  such  tools,  two  spear  heads  were  made,  which 
were  tied  fast  with  thongs  to  sticks  about  the  thickness  of  a 
man's  arm.  Thus  equiped,  the  Russians  ventured  to  attack 
a  white  bear,  and,  after  a  most  dangerous  encounter,  succeed- 
ed in  killing  it.  This  was  a  new  supply  of  provisions;  they 
relished  the  flesh  exceedingly,  and  easily  divided  the  tendons 
into  filaments,  which,  besides  other  uses,  served  for  strings  to 
their  bow. 


The  Russians,  in  the  next  place,  proceeded  to  forge  some 
bits  of  iron  into  smaller  pieces,  resembling  the  head  of  spears; 
and  these  were  fitted  to  arrows,  by  fastening  them  to  fir  rods. 

They  had  thus  a  complete  bow  and  arrows,  and  were  more 
easily  enabled  to  obtain  food. 

With  these,  during  their  abode  on  the  island,  they  killed 
nD  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  rein-deer,  ami  a  great  num- 
ber of  blue  and  white  foxes.  They  fed  on  the  flesh  of  the 
animals  and  used  their  skins  for  clothing.  They  killed  only 
ten  white  bears  during  their  residence,  and  that  at  the  utmost 
hazard,  for  these  creatures  are  amazingly  strong,  and  defend- 
ed themselves  with  surprising  vigour  and  fury.  The  first  was 
attacked  intentionally;  the  other  nine  were  killed  in  self-de- 
fence, for  the  animals  even  ventured  to  enter  the  outer  room 
of  the  hut  to  devour  them.  Some,  less  ferocious  t^an  others, 


RUSSIANS    ABANDONED    ON    SP1TZBERGEN.  169 

were  repulsed  on  the  fi.st  attempt,  but  a  repetition  of  their  at- 
tacks  exposed  the  sailors  to  the  continual  apprehension  of  be- 
ing destroyed. 

As  they  could  not  afford  wood  for  a  constant  fire,  they  dried 
a  portion  of  their  provision  in  the  open  air,  and  afterwards 
hung  it  up  in  the  hut,  which  was  always  full  of  smoke.  Pre- 
pared in  this  way,  they  used  it  for  bread,  because  they  were 
ur/ler  the  necessity  of  eating  their  other  flesh  half  raw. 

Unfortunately,  one  of  the  Russians  was  attacked  by  the 
scurvy.  Iwan  Himkof,  who  had  wintered  several  times  on 
the  coast  of  West  Spitzbergen,  advised  his  companions  to 
swallow  raw  and  frozen  meat  in  small  pieces;  to  drink  the 
blood  of  the  rein-deer,  as  it  flowed  warm  from  the  veins  of  the 
animal,  and  to  eat  scurvy-grass,  although  it  was  not  very  abund- 
ant. Those  who  followed  his  injunctions  found  an  effectual 
antidote,  but  Feeder  Weregin,  being  naturally  of  an  indolent 
disposition,  averse  to  drinking  the  rein-deer  blood,  and,  un- 
willing to  leave  the  hut  when  he  could  possibly  avojd  it,  was 
soon  seized  with  the  scurvy.  Under  this  afflicting  distemper 
he  passed  nearly  six  years,  enduring  the  greatest  sufferings 
At  length  he  became  so  weak  that  he  could  not  sit  erect,  nor 
even  raise  his  hand  to  his  mouth,  so  that  his  humane  compan- 
ions were  obliged  to  attend  on,  and  feed  him  like  a  new  born 
infant,  until  the  hour  of  his  death. 

In  the  course  of  their  excursions  through  the  island,  the 
seamen  had  met  with  a  slimy  loam,  or  kind  of  clay,  of  which 
they  contrived  to  make  a  lamp,  and  proposed  to  keep  it  con- 
stantly burning  with  the'  fat  of  the  animals  they  should  kill. — 
Thus  they  filled  it  with  rein-deer's  fat,  and  stuck  a  bit  of 
twisted  linen  for  a  wick.  But,  to  their  mortification,  always 
as  the  fat  melted,  it  not  only  was  absorbed  by  the  clay,  but 
fairly  run  through  it  on  all  sides.  On  this  account  they  form- 
ed another  lamp,  which  they  dried  throughly  in  the  air,  and 
heated  red  hot.  It  was  next  quenched  in  their  kettle,  where- 
in they  had  boiled  a  quantity  of  flour  down  to  the  consistence 
of  ihir.  starch.  When  filled  with  melted  fat,  they  found  to 
their  great  joy  that  it  did  not  leak.  Encouraged  by  this  at- 
tempt, they  made  another,  that,  at  all  events,  they  might  not 
be  destitute  of  light,  and  saved  the  remainder  of  their  flour 
for  similar  purposes.  Oakum  thrown  ashore,  as  also  cordage 
found  among  the  wrecks  of  vessels,  served  for  wicks;  and 
when  these  resources  failed,  they  converted  their  shirts  and 
drawers  to  the  same  purpose  fey  such  means  they  kept  a 
^OL.  H  8 


170  RUSSIANS    ABANDONED    ON    SPITSBERGEN 

lamp  burning  from  soon  after  their  arrival  on  tho  island,  untfl 
the  day  of  their  embarkation  for  their  native  country. 

Clothes,  in  so  rigorous  a  climate,  next  became  an  object 
of  necessity.  The  uses  to  which  they  had  applied  what  they 
had  brought  with  them  exposed  them  still  more  to  its  severity 
The  skins  of  rein-deer  and  foxes  had  hitherto  served  for  bed- 
ding. It  was  essential  to  devise  some  method  of  tanning 
them,  the  better  to  withstand  the  weather.  This  was  accom- 
plished, in  a  certain  degree,  by  soaking  the  skins  in  water 
until  the  hair  could  be  rubbed  off,  and  then  putting  rein-deer 
fat  upon  them.  The  leather,  by  such  a  process,  became  soft 
and  pliant.  The  want  of  awls  and  needles  was  supplied  by 
bits  of  iron  occasionally  collected;  of  them  they  made  a  kind 
of  wire,  which,  being  heated  red  hot,  was  pierced  with  a  knife, 
ground  to  a  sharp  point,  which  formed  the  eye  of  a  needle. — 
The  sinews  of  bears  and  rein-deer,  split  into  threads,  served 
for  sewing  the  pieces  of  leather  together,  which  enabled  the 
Russians  to  procure  jackets  and  trowsers  for  summer  dress, 
and  a  long  fur  gown  with  a  hood  for  their  winter  apparel. 

The  wants  of  these  unfortunate  persons  being  thus  provid- 
ed for,  the  only  reflections  disturbing  them  were  regret  for 
those  left  behind  at  home,  or  the  apprehensions  of  some  one 
of  them  surviving  all  his  companions,  and  then  either  famish- 
ing for  want  of  food,  or  becoming  a  prey  to  wild  beasts.  The 
mate,  Alexis  Himkof,  had  a  wife  and  three  children,  who 
were  constantly  in  his  mind,  and  he  was  unhappy  from  the 
dread  of  never  seeing  them  more. 

Excepting  white  bears,  foxes  and  rein-deer,  with  which  the 
island  abounds,  no  other  animals  inhabit  it.  A  few  birds  are 
seen  in  summer,  such  as  geese,  ducks  and  other  water-fowl. 
Whales  seldom  approach  the  shore;  but  there  are  great  num- 
bers of  seals;  other  fish  are  scarce,  and  indeed  their  being  in 
plenty  would  little  avail  the  Russians,  who  were  unprovid- 
ed with  the  means  of  taking  them.  Sometimes  they  found 
the  teeth  and  jaws  of  seals  on  the  shore,  but  never  an  entire 
carcase;  for  when  these  animals  die  on  land,  the  white  bears 
immediately  eat  thrm.  The  common  food  of  this  ferocious 
creature,  however,  is  the  flesh  of  dead  whales,  which  are  fre- 
quently seen  floating  about  in  the  polar  regions,  and  are  some- 
times cast  on  shore.  When  this  provision  fails,  they  fail  upon 
seals,  devouring  them  and  other  animals  sleeping  on  the  beach. 

The  island  had  many  mountains  and  steep  rocks  of  stupen- 
dous height,  perpetually  covered  with  snow  and  ice;  not  a  tree 
nor  even  the  poorest  shrub  was  to  be  met  with;  neither  is  there 


RUSSIANS    ABANDONED    ON    SPITZBKRGK1V.  171 

a*y  vegetable  but  scurvy-g'-ass,  although  plenty  of  mow 
grows  in  every  part.  The  Russians  found  no  river;  however, 
there  were  many  small  rivulets  rising  among  the  rocks  and 
mountains,  which  afforded  a  quantity  of  water. 

They  saw  the  sun  moving  for  months  together  round  the 
horizon  during  summer,  and  in  winter  they  were  an  equal 
length  of  time  in  total  darkness;  but  the  Aurora  Borealis, 
which  was  then  frequent,  contributed  to  lessen  the  gloominess 
of  so  long  a  night.  Thick  cloudy  weather,  great  quantities 
of  snow,  and  almost  incessant  rain  at  certain  seasons,  often 
obscured  the  stars.  The  snow  totally  covered  the  nut  in 
winter,  and  left  them  no  way  of  getting  out  of  it,  excepting  by 
a  hole  which  they  had  made  in  the  roof  of  one  of  the  cham- 
bers. 

When  the  unfortunate  mariners  had  passed  nearly  six  years 
in  this  dismal  abode,  FeoderNWeregin,  who  had  all  along  been 
in  a  languid  state,  died,  after  suffering  the  most  excruciating 
pains.  Though  his  companions  were  thus  freed  of  the  trouble 
of  attending  on  him,  and  the  grief  of  witnessing  his  misery, 
they  were  deeply  affected  by  his  death.  They  saw  their 
number  lessened,  and  each  wished  to  be  the  next  to  follow 
him.  Having  died  in  winter,  a  grave  as  deep  as  possible 
was  dug  in  the  snow  to  receive  his  corpse,  and  the  survivors 
then  covered  it  over  to  the  best  of  their  power,  to  prevent  the 
white  bears  from  getting  at  it. 

While  the  melancholy  reflections  excited  by  Weregin's 
death  were  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  his  comrades,  and  while 
each  expected  to  pay  the  like  duties  to  the  companions  of  his 
misfortunes  that  they  had  done  to  him,  or  to  be  himself  the 
first  to  receive  them,  a  Russian  vessel  unexpectedly  came  in 
view  on  the  15th  of  August  1749. 

This  vessel  belonged  to  a  trader  who  had  come  to  Arch- 
angel, and  intended  to  winter  in  Nova  Zdmbla;  but  fortunate- 
ly it  was  proposed  to  him  to  winter  at  West  Spit/.bergen,  to 
which,  after  many  objections,  he  assented.  Contrary  winds 
on  the  passage  prevented  the  ship  from  reaching  the  place 
of  her  destination,  and  drove  her  towards  East  Spitsbergen, 
directly  opposite  to  the  residence  of  the  mariners.  As  soon 
as  they  perceived  her,  they  hastened  to  light  fires  on  the 
nearest  hills,  and  then  ran  to  th6  beach  wav:ng  a  flag  made  of 
a  rein-deer's  skin  fastened  to  a  pole.  The  people  on  board 
observing  these  signals,  concluded  there  were  men  ashore  im- 
ploring their  assistance,  and  therefore  came  to  an  anchor  neai 
the  island. 


179  ICSflANI    ABANDONED    ON    SPITSBERGEN. 

To  describe  the  joy  of  the  unfortunate  mariners  at  seeing 
the  moment  of  their  deliverance  so  near,  is  impossible. — 
They  soon  agreed  with  the  master  of  the  vessel  to  take  them 
and  all  their  riches  on  board,  for  which  they  should  work  dur- 
ing the  voyage,  and  pay  him  eighty  rubles  on  arriving  in  Rus- 
sia. Therefore  they  embarked,  carrying  with  them  two  thou 
sand  weight  of  rein-deer  fat,  many  hides  of  the  same  animals, 
the  skins  of  the  blue  and  white  foxes  and  bears  they  had  kill- 
ed. Neither  did  they  neglect  to  carry  away  their  spears, 
their  knife  and  axe,  which  were  almost  worn  out,  or  their 
awls  and  needles,  which  were  carefully  preserved  in  a  box, 
very  ingeniously  made  of  bone. 

Afler  spending  six  years  and  three  months  in  this  rueful 
solitude,  they  arrived  safe  at  Archangel  on  the  25th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1749.  But  the  moment  of  landing  was  nearly  fatal  to 
the  affectionate  wife  of  Alexis  Himkof,  who  happened  to  be 
present  when  the  vessel  came  into  port.  Immediately  recog- 
nizing her  husband,  she  ran  with  such  eagerness  to  embrace 
him,  that  she  slipped  into  the  water,  and  very  narrowly  es- 
caped being  drowned. 

All  the  three  survivors  were  strong  and  healthy;  having 
lived  so  long  without  bread,  they  could  not  be  reconciled  to 
the  use  of  it;  neither  could  they  bear  spirituous  liquors,  and 
drank  nothing  but  water. 

As  they  were  vassals  of  Count  Schuwalow,  who  then  had 
a  grant  of  the  whale  fishery,  M.  Le  Roy  requested  of  him 
that  they  might  be  sent  from  Archangel  to  St.  Petersburgh, 
where  he  could  satisfy  himself  respecting  their  Adventures. — 
Accordingly  two  of  them  arrived,  Alexis  Himkof,  aged  about 
fifty  and  I  wan  Himkof  about  thirty.  They  brought  some  cu- 
rious specimens  of  their  workmanship,  so  neatly  executed, 
that  it  was  doubtful  with  what  tools  it  could  have  been  done. 
From  their  account,  both  to  M.  Klingstadt,  auditor  of  the  Ad- 
mil  olty  at  Archangel,  and  what  they  now  communicated,  M. 
L»,  Roy  composed  the  preceding  narrative. 

For  centuries  past  Spitzbcrgen  has  been  greatly  resorted 
to  on  account  of  the  profitable  whale-fishery  of  the  ^urround- 
ing  seas,  and  several  shipwrecks,  as  well  as  incidents  similar 
to  the  preceding,  have  occurred  there,  and  in  the  vicinity. — 
Spitzbergen  is  a  bleak  and  barren  country,  and  received  its 
name  from  the  lofty  pointed  mountains  by  which  it  is  covered; 
perpetual  snow  prevails,  few  plants  spring  from  the  soil,  and 
it  is  destitute  of  wood.  But  to  compensate  in  some  measure 


OF    A    CONVICT    SHIP.  173 

for  the  scanty  productions  of  nature  by  land,  its  seas,  abund* 
antly  stored  with  fish,  can  afford  a  copious  supply  both  of  food 
and  clothing  to  mankind. 


LOSS  OF  THE  AMPHITRITE  CONVICT  SHIP 

The  following  particulars  of  the  loss  of  this  vessel  arc  cop- 
ied from  a  letter  dated  Boulogne-sur-mcr,  Sept.  1',  1833. 

The  shocking  event  which  is  announced  by  the  title  to  this 
letter,  has,  I  assure  you,  filled  the  totfri  with  dismay,  and 
must  lead  to  a  most  narrow  and  rigid  investigation.  I  cannot  at- 
tempt to  describe  the  afflictions  not  only  of  the  English,  but 
the  French,  at  this  most  distressing  event,  and  I  only  express 
*he  general  opinion  when  I  say  that  the  British  public  de- 
mands that  an  inquiry  be  instituted  into  the  conduct  of  all 
parties  concerned  in  this  deplorable  affair. 

The  Amphitrite  convict  ship  sailed  for  New  South  Wales 
from  Woolwich  on  the  25th  of  August.  Capt.  Hunter  was  the 
commander;  Mr.  Forrester  the  surgeon;  and  there  were  108 
female  convicts,  12  children  and  a  crew  of  16  persons.  The 
captain  was  part  owner  of  the  vessel.  When  the  ship  arrived 
off  Dungeness,  the  gale  of  the  29th  began.  On  Friday  morn- 
ing the  captain  hove  the  ship  to,  the  gale  being  too  heavy  to 
sail.  The  vessel  was  about  three  miles  to  the  east  from  Bou- 
logne harbor  on  Saturday  at  noon,  when  they  made  land  -— 
The  captain  set  the  topsail  and  main-foresail  in  hopes  of  keep- 
•ng  her  off  shore. 

From  three  o'clock  she  was  in  sight  of  Boulogne,  and  cer- 
tainly the  sea  was  most  heavy  and  the  wind  extremely  strong; 
but  no  pilot  bo-it  went  out  to  her,  and  no  life-boats  or  other 
assistance  were  dispatched.  I  observed  her  from  three  o'clock 
till  about  half  past  four  in  the  afternoon,  when  she  came 
round  into  Boulogne  harbor  and  struck  on  the  sands.  By 
four  o'clock  it  was  known  that  it  was  a  British  ship,  but  »COM 


i74  LOSS    OF    A    CONVICT    SHIP. 

said  it  was  a  brig;  others  said    it    was   a   merchant   vessel, 
though  all  said  it  vas  English. 

It  appears  from  the  statement  of  three  men  who  have  been 
saved  out  of  the  crew — all  the  rest  having  perished,  that  the 
captain  ordered  the  anchor  to  be  let  go,  in  hopes  of  swinging 
round  with  the  tide. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  the  vessel  had  gone  aground,  multi- 
tudes rushed  to  the  beach,  and  a  brave  French  sailor,  named 
Pierre  Henin,  who  has  already  received  the  thanks  of  the  Hu- 
mane Society  of  London,  addressed  himself  to  the  captain  of 
the  port,  and  said  that  he  was  resolved  to  go  alone,  and  to 
reach  the  vessel,  in  order  to  tell  the  captain  that  he  had  not  a 
moment  to  lose,  but  must,  as  it  was  low  water,  send  all  his 
crew  and  passengers  on  shore. 

You  will  recollect  that  up  to  the  time  of  her  running 
aground  no  measure  was  adopted,  and  the  captain  was  no* 
warned  from  shore  of  her  danger. 

.:  As  soon  as  she  had  struck,  however,  a  pilot-boat,  command 
ed  by  Francois  Heuret,  who  has  on  many  occasions  shown 
much  courage  and  talent,  was  dispatched,  and  by  a  little  after 
five  came  under  her  bows.  The  captain  of  he  vessel  refused 
to  avail  himself  of  the  assistance  of  Heuret  and  his  brave 
companions,  and  when  a  portion  of  the  crew  proposed  going 
on  shore  the  captain  prevented  them.  Two  of  the  men  sav- 
ed, state  that  they  knew  the  boat  was  under  the  bows,  but  that 
the  rest  were  below  making  up  their  bundles.  The  crew 
could  then  have  got  on  shore  and  all  the  unfortunate  women 
and  children 

When  the  French  boat  had  gone,  the  surgeon  sent  for  Ow 
en,  one  of  the  crew,  and  ordered  him  to  get  out  the  long 
boat.  This  was  about  half  past  five.  The  surgeon  discussed 
the  matter  with  his  wife  and  with  the  captain.  They  were 
afraid  of  allowing  the  prisoners  to  go  on  shore.  The  wife  of 
the  surgeon  is  said  to  have  proposed  to  leave  the  convicts 
there,  and  to  go  on  shore  without  them. 

In  consequence  of  this  discussion,  no  long  boat  was  sent 
out.  Three  of  the  convict  women  told  Owen,  that  they  heard 
the  surgeon  persuaded  the  captain  not  to  accept  the  assist- 
ance of  the  French  boat,  on  account  of  the  prisoners  who 
were  on  board. 

Let  us  now  return  to  Pierre  Henin.  The  French  pilot- 
boat  had  been  refused  by  the  surgeon  and  captain — the  long- 
boat had  been  put  out,' through  a  discussion  as  to  saving  the 
convicts — and  it  was  now  nearly  six  o'clock.  At  that  time 


LOSS    OF    A    CONVICT    SHIP.  17-5 

Hcnm  went  10  the  beach,  stripped  himself,  took  a  line,  swam 
naked  for  about  three  quarters  of  an  hour  or  an  hour,  and  ar- 
rived  at  the  vessel  at  a  little  after  seven.'  On  reaching  the 
right  side  of  the  vessel,  he  hailed  the  crew,  and  said,  "Give 
me  a  line  to  conduct  you  on  land,  or  you  are  lost,  as  the  sea 
is  coming  in."  He  spoke  English  plain  enough  to  be  heard 
Me  touched  the  vessel  and  told  them  to  speak  to  the  captain 
They  threw  (that  is,  some  of  the  crew,  but  not  the  surgeon  01 
captain)  two  lines,  one  from  the  stern  and  one  from  the  bow. 
The  one  from  the  stern  he  could  not  seize — the  one  from  the 
')ow  he  did.  He  then  went  towards  the  shore,  but  the  rope 
was  stopped.  This  was,  it  is  believed,  the  act  of  the  surgeon 
and  captain.  He  (Henin)  then  swam  back,  and  told  them  to 
give  him  more  rope  to  get  on  shore.  The  captain  and  sur- 
geon would  not.  They  then  tried  to  haul  him  in,  but  his 
strength  failed  and  he  got  on  shore. 

You  perceive,  then,  that  up  to  this  moment  also  the  «same 
obstacle  existed  in  the  minds  of  the  captain  and  surgeon. — 
They  did  not  dare,  without  authority,  to  land  the  convicts,  and 
rather  than  leave  them  on  board,  or  land  them  without  such 
authority,  they  perished  with  them. 

The  female  convicts,  who  were  battened  down  under  the 
hatches,  on  the  vessel's  running  aground,  broke  away  the  half 
deck  hatch,  and  frantic,  rushed  on  deck.  Of  course  they  en- 
treated the  captain  and  surgeon  to  let  them  go  on  shore  in 
the  long-boat,  but  they  were  not  listened  to,  as  the  captain 
and  surgeon  did  not  feel  authorized  to  liberate  prisoners  com- 
mitted to  their  care. 

At  seven  o'clock  the  flood  tide  began.  The  crew  seeing 
f^at  there  were  no  hopes,  clung  to  the  rigging.  The  poor 
108  women  and  12  children  remained  on  deck,  uttering  the 
most  piteous  cries.  The  vessel  was  about  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  English  from  the  shore,  and  no  more.  Owen,  one  of  the 
three  men  saved,  thinks  that  the  women  remained  on  deck  in 
this  state  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  Owen  and  four  others 
were  on  the  spars,  and  thinks  they  remained  there  three  quar- 
ters of  an  hour,  but,  seeing  no  hope  of  being  saved,  he  took 
to  swimming,  and  was  brought  in  a  state  of  insensibility  to  the 
hotel.  Tovvsey,  another  of  the  men  saved,  was  on  a  plank 
with  the  captain.  Towsey  asked  who  he  was?  He  said  "  I 
urn  the  captain,"  but  the  next  moment  he  was  gone.  Rice, 
ihe  third  man,  floated  ashore  on  a  ladder.  He  was  in  the  aft 
when  the  other  men  took  to  the  raft.  When  the  French  pilot- 
boat  rowed  away,  after  being  rejected  by  the  captain,  he 


176  THE  MUTINEERS A  TALE  OF  THE  8EA. 

(Rice)  saw  a  man  waving  his  hat  on  the  beach,  and  remarked 
to  the  captain  that  a  gentleman  was  waving  to  them  to  come 
on  shore.  The  captain  turned  away  and  made  no  answer. — 
At  that  moment  the  women  all  disappeared,  the  ship  broke  in 
.wo. 

There  are  the  facts  of  this  awful  case.  The  French  Ma 
rine  Humane  Society  immediately  placed  hundreds  of  men  on 
the  beach;  and  the  office,  or  lodging,  being  close  to  the  shore, 
as  soon  as  the  corpses  were  picked  up  they  were  brought  to 
the  rooms,  where  I  assisted  many  of  my  countrymen  in  en- 
deavoring to  restore  them  to  life  Our  efforts  were  fruitless 
except  in  the  cases  of  the  three  men,  Owen,  Rice  and  Tow- 
sey.  I  never  saw  so  many  fine  and  beautiful  bodies  in  my  life. 
Some  of  the  women  were  the  most  perfectly  made;  and 
French  and  English  wept  together  at  such  a  horrible  loss  of 
life  in  sight  of — ay,  and  even  close  to,  the  port  and  town. — 
Body  after  body  has  been  brought  in.  More  than  60  have 
been  found;  they  will  be  buried  to-morrow.  But  alas!  after 
all  our  efforts,  only  three  lives  have  been  saved  out  of  136. 


THE  MUTINEERS— A  TALE  OF  THE  SEA 

There  is  scarce  any  one,  we  apprehend,  who  is  in  any  con- 
siderable degree  conversant  with  the  shifting  scenes  of  human 
existence,  who  does  not  know  that  many  of  the  plain  naria- 
tives  of  common  life  possess  an  indescribable  charm.  These 
unvarnished  details  of  human  weal  and  human  wo,  coming  right 
from  the  mint  of  nature,  decline  the  superfluous  embellish- 
ments of  art,  and,  in  the  absence  of  all  borrowed  lustre,  clear- 
ly demonstrate  that  they  are  "  adorned  the  most  when  unad- 
orned." They  bear  a  most  diametrical  contrast  to  those  fig- 
ments of  diseased  fancy,  that  nauseating  romance  about  virgin! 
betrothed  and  lady  love,  which  in  so  many  instances  elbow  de- 
cency and  comni-.iii  .-•< 'n-r  from  the  pages  of  our  periodicaJ 
literature  as  "  unwelcome  guests." 


THE  MUTINEER! — A  TALE  OF  THE  SKA.  171 

It  has  frequently  been  said  that  sailors,  above  every  other 
class  of  men,  have  irrepressible  hankerings  after  the  wild  and 
wonderful.  Certain  it  is,  that  he  who  will  sit  on  a  ship's  fore- 
castle of  a  bright  moonlight  evening,  will  hear  of  "  hair-breadth 
escapes,"  and  perilous  adventures  no  less  chivalrous  and  in- 
credible than  those  which  Cervantes  and  the  biographer  of 
Baron  Munchausen  have  attributed  to  their  respective  heroes. 
Although  the  following  incidents  may  excite  no  very  thrilling 
interest,  they  have  at  least  the  merit  of  truth.  The  actors  in 
this  short  drama  are  still  on  the  stage,  ready  to  testify  to 
this  narrative  of  facts. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  April,  1828,  the  ship  Gold- 
Hunter  glided  majestically  out  of  the  Liverpool  docks,  with 
fair  wind  and  tide.  The  Mersey,  from  Liverpool  to  Black 
Rock,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles,  was  literally  covered 
with  vessels  of  every  character  and  nation,  which  had  taken 
advantage  of  the  fair  wind  to  clear  the  harbor.  Here  might 
be  seen  the  little  French  lugger,  carrying  back  to  Bordeaux 
what  its  fruit  and  brandy  had  bought,  as  friskey  in  its  motions 
as  the  nervous  monsieur  who  commanded  it.  At  a  little  dis- 
tance, the  square-shouldered  Antwerper,  sitting  on  the  ele- 
vated poop  of  his  galliot,  was  enjoying,  with  his  crew,  a  glori- 
ous smoke.  You  could  almost  see  them  (and  that,  too,  with- 
out very  keen  optics)  put  care  into  their  tobacco-pipes  . 
anxiety  curled  in  fume  over  their  heads.  A  not  unfrequent 
sight  was  the  star-spangled  banner  floating  in  beauty  over  the 
bosom  of  the  wave.  The  serenity  of  the  atmosphere,  the  ever- 
changing  brilliancy  of  the  scene,  the  tout  ensemble,  were  well 
calculated  to  excite  the  most  pleasurable  emotions.  Every 
thing  seemed  to  give  the  most  flattering  assurances  of  a  voy- 
age of  unruffled  peacefulness. 

This  large  squadron  continued  comparatively  unbroken  until 
it  reached  Holyhead,  where  such  vessels  as  were  bound  for 
Scotland,  or  the  aorth  of  Ireland,  bore  away  from  those  which 
were  bound  down  the  channel.  The  Gold-Hunter,  whose 
destination  was  a  port  in  the  United  States;  was,  of  course, 
in  company  with  the  latter  class.  Those  on  board  of  her 
very  naturally  felt  great  gratification  in  perceiving  that  she 
was  not  only  the  most  splendid  and  graceful  ship,  but  the 
swiftest  sailor  in  sight. 

Before  we  proceed  farther,  however,  we  must  in  some  mea- 
sure acquaint  the  reader  with  the  inmates  of  the  Gold  Huntei. 
Notwithstanding  she  was  one  of  those  floating  palaces  yclept 
u  Liverpool  packets,"  and  the  captain  a  finished  gentleman 


178          THE  MUTINEERS — A  TALE  OF  THE  IE  A 

and  skilful  navigator,  there  were,  on  this  trip,  but  two  cabin 
passengers, — an  Irish  gentleman  (who  had  a  short  time  before 
sold  his  lieutenancy  in  the  British  army)  and  his  sister.  The 
former  had  been  engaged  in  some  of  England's  fiercest  battles, 
and  won  some  of  her  brightest  laurels.  The  reason  which  in- 
duced him  to  dispose  of  his  commission,  and  forsake  the  hard- 
ships and  honors  of  military  life,  was  a  desire  to  visit  some 
near  relations,  who,  at  an  early  period,  had  emigrated  to  this 
country,  and  who  were  now  enjoying  respectability  and  a  com- 
petence It  was  for  this  object  that  Mr.  Kelly  and  his  sister 
had  taken  passage  in  the  Gold  Hunter,  at  the  time  of  which 
we  are  now  speaking.  It  need  hardly  be  said,  that  they  felt 
towards  each  other  all  that  deep-toned  and  romantic  affection 
which  in  so  characteristic  a  manner  pervades  Irish  relation- 
ships. 

The  captain,  who  was  a  man  of  fine  feeling  and  cultivated 
intellect,  spent  most  of  his  leisure  moments  in  their  company; 
and  many  an  evening,  when  the  moon-beams  played  forth 
brightly  on  the  rippling  water,  and  the  bellying  of  the  canvass 
seemed  to  assure  them  they  were  hastening  to  the  tender  em- 
braces of  those  they  loved,  would  they  srt  together  on  the 
quarter-deck,  while  Miss  Kelly  enhanced  the  brilliancy  of  the 
scene  by  singing  some  of  those  wild,  touching  melodies  which 
she  had  learned  to  warble  on  her  own  native  hills.  Thus 
,'  time  trod  on  flowers,"  and  the  incidental  privations  and  in- 
conveniences of  a  sea  voyage  were  greatly  mitigated. 

Nothing  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred  until  about  the 
25th  of  April,  when  Mr.  Kelly,  who  was  walking  on  the 
weather  side  of  the  main  deck,  accidentally  overheard  the  fol- 
lowing conversation,  between  three  or  four  of  the  crew,  en- 
gaged in  caulking  the  seams  just  under  the  lee  of  the  long 
boat. 

"  I  tell  you,  once  for  all,  a  cargo  of  silks  and  broadcloths 
ant  a  going  to  do  us  any  good  without  the  ready  cash." 

"  Ready  cash  !  why,  man,  how  many  times  must  I  tell  you 
hat  there  is  specie  on  board  ?  the  old  man  has  two  or  three 
thousand  dollars,  and  Kelly  has  a  bag  of  sovereigns,  or  my 
eyes  never  saw  salt  water — "  And  the  girl,"  said  a  third  voice, 
which  Mr.  Kelly  knew  to  be  the  steward's — "  and  the  girl  did 
not  jingle  her  bag  for  nothing  the  other  day,  when  she  walked 
by  me  :  something  there,  or  my  head  's  a  ball  of  spun-yarn.'1 

Kelly  was  transfixed  with  utter  horror  and  amazement  ;  but 
fearful  lest  some  one  might  perceive  him,  he  crouched  undei 
he  long-boat,  which  afforded  him  a  partial  concealment,  fn 


THE  MUTINEERS — A  TALE  OF  THE  SEA.  17t 

this  situation,  he  listened  with  breathless  anxiety,  to  the  de- 
velopement  of  their  plans,  so  murderous  that  his  very  blood 
ran  cold  in  his  veins. 

When  the  villains  came  to  the  blackest,  most  awful,  portions 
of  their  scheme,  their  voices  were  instinctively  hushed  into 
almost  a  whisper  ;  so  that  it  was  only  the  general  outline  that 
Kelly  could  gather.  He  found  that  it  was  their  intention  to 
wait  until  some  dark,  dismal  night,  when  they  would  rush  on 
the  captain,  himself  and  sister,  and  murder  them  in  their  beds, 
rifle  them  of  their  money,  and  take  possession  of  the  ship.  It 
was  their  design  to  spare  the  life  of  the  mate,  whose  services 
they  needed  as  a  navigator.  After  having  done  all  this,  they 
were  to  steer  directly  for  the  coast  of  Africa,  where  they  hop- 
ed to  dispose  of  the  cargo  to  the  negroes.  If  successful,  they 
expected  to  carry  thence  to  the  West  Indies  a  load  of  slaves — 
if  not,  to  abandon  the  ship  entirely,  taking  with  them  the 
specie,  and  whatever  light  articles  of  value  they  conveniently 
could.  They  anticipated  no  difficulty  in  introducing  them- 
selves into  some  of  the  settlements  on  the  coast  as  shipwreck- 
ed mariners  ;  and,  as  vessels  frequently  left  the  settlements 
for  the  United  States,  they  supposed  they  might  procure  a 
passage  without  exciting  any  suspicion. 

Kelly  was  a  man  of  such  imperturbable  self-command,  that 
he  found  no  difficulty  in  repressing  every  symptom  which  could 
indicate  his  knowledge  of  the  diabolical  conspiracy.  It  was 
no  part  of  his  intention,  however,  to  conceal  any  thing  from 
Capt.  Newton  ;  to  the  captain,  therefore,  he  made  an  unre- 
served disclosure  of  all  that  had  come  to  his  knowledge.  At 
first  they  were  at  a  loss  what  measures  to  take  :  one  thing 
they  thought  of  the  greatest  importance,  which  was  to  keep 
Mirfs  Kelly  in  entire  ignorance  of  what  was  transpiring  on 
board.  Some  uncurbed  outbreaking  of  alarm  would  be  almost 
certain,  such  was  the  excitability  of  her  temperament.  This, 
in  their  present  situation,  might  be  attended  with  the  most 
disastrous  consequences. 

The  captain  determined  to  eye  with  particular  vigilance  the 
motions  of  Harmon,  who,  from  the  part  he  took  in  the  conver- 
sation alluded  to  above,  appeared  to  be  the  ring-leader.  Here, 
in  order  that  the  reader  may  fully  understand  the  narrative, 
't  becomes  necessary  for  us  to  make  a  very  short  disgression. 

The  government  of  a  ship  is,  in  the  strides*  sense  of  the 
term,  monarchical,  the  captain  holding  undivided  and  abso- 
lute authority.  The  relation  he  sustains  to  the  sailor  resem- 
blea  very  much  that  of  the  master  to  the  slave.  Conse- 


180  THE  MUTINEERS-     A  TA  I.E  OF  THE  SEA. 

qaently,  in  order  that  this  relation  be  not  severed  by  the  sailor, 
ever  the  faintest  color  of  insubordination  must  be  promptly 
quelled.  If  any  master  of  a  ship  suffer  a  sailor  to  make  an 
impertinent  reply  with  impunity,  he  immediately  finds  his  au- 
thority prostrate  and  trampled  upon,  and  his  most  positive 
commands  pertinaciously  disregarded. 

The  day  after  that  on  which  Mr.  Kelly  had  communicated 
the  startling  intelligence  to  the  captain,  was  somewhat  squally. 
The  latter  was  standing  on  the  weather  side  of  the  quarter- 
deck, giving  directions  to  the  man  at  the  helm  (who  happened 
to  be  Harmon)  respecting  the  steering  of  the  ship  : 

"Luff!  luff!  keep  her  full  and  by!  Mind  your  weather 
helm,  or  she  '11  be  all  in  the  wind.  Down  with  it,  or  she  Ml  be 
off!"  I  tell  you,  if  you  don't  steer  the  ship  better,  I  '11  send 
you  from  the  helm.  You  don't  keep  her  within  three  points 
of  her  course  either  way  !" 

All  this  was  said,  of  course,  in  a  pretty  authoritative  tone, 
and  Harmon  impudently  replied,  "  I  can  steer  as  well  as  you, 
or  any  other  man  in  the  ship." 

Capt.  Newton's  philosophy  was  completely  dashed  by  this 
daring  answer,  and  he  immediately  gave  Harmon  a  blow  with 
his  fist,  which  Harmon  as  promptly  returned  sprawling  the 
captain  on  the  deck. 

Harmon  then  deserted  the  helm,  leaving  the  ship  to  the 
mercy  of  the  tempest,  and  hurried  forward  to  the  forecastle, 
hoping  there  to  intrench  himself  so  firmly  as  to  resist  all  at- 
tacks from  without. 

The  captain,  as  soon  as  he  could  recover  from  his  amaze- 
ment, went  to  the  cabin  door  and  cried  out, 

"  Mr.  Kelly,  our  lives  are  in  danger — will  you  assist  me, 
my  dear  sir,  to  secure  one  of  my  men,  that  cut-throat  Harmon. 
We  must  blow  up  this  scheme  in  the  outset,  or  we  are  gone." 

Kelly  had  too  little  coolness  in  his  constitution  to  stop  to 
discuss  the  matter,  when  he  knew  that  the  life  of  a  dear  sister 
might  depend  on  the  issue.  He  saw,  in  a  moment,  that  the 
conspirators  would  take  courage,  unless  they  were  immediate- 
ly overpowered.  He  therefore  instantly  joined  Capt.  Newton, 
and  they  proceeded  to  the  forecastle  together. 

Threats  and  commands  had  not  virtue  enough  to  bring  Har- 
mon from  his  hiding-place.  Some  more  effectual  expedient 
must  be  resorted  to.  Accordingly,  brimstone  was  introduced 
into  the  numerous  crevices  of  the  forecastle,  and  the  atmos- 
phere rendered  insufferable  Frantic  with  suffocation,  his  eves 
flashing  with  rage,  he  br  indished  savagely  a  hugr  case- 


THE  MUTINEERS A  TALK  OF  THE  SKA.  181 

knife  : — "  You,  Newton!  and  you  Kelly  f  1  r^ear  that,  if  1  am 
obliged  to  leave  this  forecastle,  I'll  sheath  .this  knife  in  your 
breasts,  you  infernal  tormentors  !" 

Like  the  chafed,  wounded,  maddened  bull,  which  his  pur- 
suers have  surrounded,  and  which  is  drawing  close  about  him 
his  dying  strength,  for  one  last  furious  charge,  was  Harmon, 
when  Kelly,  with  most  provoking  coolness,  said,  "  Harmon, 
you  shall  leave  that  forecastle,  or  die  there.'' 

It  soon  became  evident  that  he  was  making  preparations  to 
leave  :  they  therefore  planted  themselves  firmly  near  the  gang 
way  through  which  alone  he  could  possibly  come  out.  Soon  he 
bolted  furiously  through,  making,  as  he  passed,  a  desperate 
plunge  at  Capt.  Newton,  with  his  enormous  case-knife.  Had 
not  Mr.  Kelly,  at  this  moment,  by  a  dexterous  effort,  struck 
Harmon's  arm,  one  more  immortal  spirit  would  have  been  dis- 
encumbered of  this  "coil  of  mortality."  Instead  of  this,  the 
villain  was  disarmed,  and  his  dangerous  weapon  danced  about 
harmlessly  on  the  top  of  the  waves.  Harmon  was  now  power- 
less ;  and  they  found  no  difficulty  in  putting  irons  upon  him 
During  the  whole  of  this  contest,  his  associates  did  not  dare 
to  offer  him  the  least  assistance  :  on  the  contrary,  each  stood 
silently  apart,  eyeing  his  neighbor  with  fear  and  distrust. 

When  Mr.  Kelly  returned  to  the  cabin,  he  found  that  his 
sister  had  fainted  away  through  terror.  Volatile  salts,  and  the 
assurance  that  all  her  future  fears  would  be  entirely  ground- 
less, had  the  effect  of  restoring  her  very  speedily.  *  *  * 

On  the  morning  of  the  23d  May,  Charleston  light-house 
was  descried  from  the  mast-head.  Not  a  remnant  of  apprehen- 
sion lurked  behind  ;  every  pulse  beat  gladly  ;  anticipated  joys 
filled  every  bosom.  It  was  not  long  before  the"  revenue  cutter, 
from  which  (loats  the  stripes  and  the  stars,  was  seen  bounding 
over  the  billows  towards  the  Gold  Hunter.  She  was  soon 
along  side,  and,  after  an  interchange  of  salutations  between 
the  vessels,  the  commander  of  the  revenue  cutter  boarded  the' 
ship.  After  many  inquiries,  Capt.  Newton  requested  the 
United  States  officer  to  step  into  the  cabin,  where  he  laid 
open  all  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  abortive  con- 
spiracy. 

"  Capt.  Morris,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  be  obliged  to  call  on  you 
for  assistance  in  bringing  these  men  to  punishment." 

<:  Such  as  I  can  grant,"  replied  Capt.  M.,  "is  at  your  ser- 
vice ;  but  how  shall  we  proceed  ?" 

"  Pu*.  the  men  into  i  DUS,  and  then  I  consign  them  to  you* 
%afc  keeping." 


ItS  FATE    OF    SEVEN    SAILORS. 

Thr»e  intentions  were  announced  on  deck  ;  and  if  erer  con- 
vternation  and  rueful  dismay  were  depicted  in  human  counte- 
nances it  was  in  the  case  of  those  who  had  entered  into  the 
conspiracy,  but  who,  till  now,  had  supposed  that  all  their  plans 
were  enveloped  in  midnight  secrecy.  Manacles  were  put  on 
them  all  without  difficulty,  and  they  soon  found  themselves 
securely  lodged  on  board  an  United  States  vessel. 

At  the  fall  term  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  South  Carolina, 
four  men  were  arraigned  on  an  indictment  of  "  mutiny  on  the 
high  seas,"  on  board  the  ship  Gold  Hunter.     The  evidence 
was  so  conclusive,  that  all  the  ingenuity  of  the   prisoner's 
council,  twist  itself  as  it  would,  could  effect  notJ>iny      The 
jury  found  a  verdict  of  guilty,  without  leavincr  theii   seats 
Harmon  was  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary   five  yeai    ;  the 
others  four  years  each      Thus  was  a  most  dangerous    nd» 
tion  frustrated. 


FATE  OF  SEVEN  SAILORS, 

WHO    WERE  LEFT    ON    THE    ISLAND  OF    ST.    K.'UP.ICE 

The  Dutch  who  frequented  the  northern  regions  during  tK 
more  favorable  season  of  the  year,  in  pursuit  of  the  whal*» 
fishery,  became  desirous  of  ascertaining  the  state  of  differen' 
places  while  winter  prevailed.  Various  opinions  were  enter 
iained  concerning  this  subject,  and  astronomers  wished  to 
have  fheir  sentiments  regarding  certain  natural  phenomena, 
either  realized  or  controverted.  Besides,  a  more  important 
bject  WPS  concealed  under  these  ostensible  reasons,  nam'e'y, 
whether  the  establishment  of  permanent  colonies  in  the  most 
remote  parts  of  Greenland  was  practicable.  A  proposal  was 
therefore  promulgate.!  through  the  Greenland  fleet,  for  seven 
seamen  to  offer  to  remain  a  winter  in  St.  Maurice's  Island,  and 
also  for  other  seven  to  winter  in  Spitzbergen.  We  are  not 


FATR  OF  SEVEN  SAITOHS  18S 

• 

acquainted  with  the  inducements  held  forth  ;  but  it  is  probable 
that  little  hesitation  ensued,  for  we  find  a  party  prepared  to 
winter  at  the  different  places  specified,  nearly  about  the 
same  period. 

Seven  of  the  stoutest  and  ablest  men  of  the  fleet  having  ac- 
cordingly agreed  to  be  left  behind,  their  comrades  sailed  from 
St.  Maurice's  Isle  on  the  26th  of  August  1633. 

The  people,  two  days  afterwards,  shared  half  a  pound  of 
tobacco,  to  which  they  restricted  themselves  as  a  weekly  al- 
lowance. At  this  time  there  was  no  night,  and  the  heat  of  the 
sun  so  powerful  through  the  day,  that  they  pulled  ofF  their 
shirts,  and  sported  on  the  side  of  a  hill  near  their  abode  Great 
abundance  of  sea-gulls  frequented  the  island,  and  the  seamen 
made  a  constant  practice  of  seeking  for  vegetables  growing 
there  for  sallad. 

Towards  the  end  of  September,  the  weather  began  to  be 
tempestuous,  and  in  the  earlier  part  of  October,  their  huts 
were  so  much  shaken  by  violent  storms  of  wind,  that  their 
nightly  rest  was  interrupted  ;  but  they  did  not  resort  to  firing 
until  the  9th  of  that  month.  About  a  week  subsequent,  two 
whales  were  cast  ashore,  and  the  seamen  immediately  endea- 
vored to  kill  them  with  harpoons,  lances,  and  cutlasses,  but 
the  tide  flowing  enabled  them  to  escape. 

As  winter  advanced,  bears  became  so  numerous,  that  the 
people  durst  scarce  venture  abroad  from  their  huts  towards 
night ;  but  in  the  day  time  some  were  occasionally  killed, 
which  they  roasted.  Several  of  these  animals  were  so  strong, 
however,  that  they  would  run  off  after  being  shot  through. 
A  great  many  gulls  were  also  seen  on  the  sea-side  which  re- 
tired every  night  to  the  mountains,  their  usual  place  of  re- 
treat 

The  first  of  January  1634,  was  ushered  in  with  dark  and 
frosty  weather  ;  the  seamen,  after  wishing  each  other  a  happy 
new  year,  and  good  success  in  their  enterprize,  went  to 
prayers.  Two  bears  approached  very  mear  their  huts,  but 
the  darkness  of  the  day,  and  the  depth  of  the  snow,  rendered 
t  impossible  to  take  them  ;  not  long  afterwards  the  seamen 
were  more  successful,  and,  having  shot  one,  dragged  it  into 
a  hut,  where  they  skinned  it.  From  the  1st  of  February 
these  animals  became  very  shy,  and  were  seldom  seen. 

In  the  month  of  March  all  the  people  were  attacked  by 
scurvy,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  fresh  provisions,  and  their 
spirits  sunk  with  the  progress  of  the  disease  ;  only  two  were 
in  health  on  the  3d  of  April,  while  tin1  rest  were  extremely 


184  FATE  OF  SEVEN  SAILORS. 

• 

iU.  Two  pullets  were  at  their  request  killed  for  them,  no 
more  being  left  ;  and  as  their  appetites  were  pretty  good,  the 
others  entertained  hopes  of  their  convalescence.  The  whole 
-eldom  left  their  hut  to  examine  the  appearance  of  the  sea,  or 
the  surrounding  country  ;  but,  on  the  15th,  they  observed 
four  whales  in  a  neighboring  bay. 

The  clerk  was  now  very  ill,  and  died  on  the  16th,  where- 
•jpon  the  surviving  mariners  invoked  Heaven  to  have  mercy 
on  his  soul,  and  also  on  themselves,  for  they  suffered  severe- 
ly. No  fresh  provisions  whatever  were  left,  and  they  daily 
grew  worse,  partly  from  want  of  necessary  articles,  and  partly 
from  the  excessive  cold.  Even  when  in  health  they  could 
scarce  keep  themselves  in  heat  by  exercise  ;  and  when  sick, 
and  unable  tc  stir  from  their  huts,  that  remedy  was  at  an 
en  Disease  made  rapid  progress  among  these  unfortunate 
people,  so  that  on  the  23d  not  more  than  one  individual  could 
give  an  account  of  the  rest,  which  is  done  in  these  words  of 
his  journal :  "  We  are  by  this  time  reduced  to  a  deplorable 
state,  none  of  my  comrades  being  able  to  help  himself,  much 
less  another ;  the  whole  burden,  therefore,  lies  on  my 
shoulders,  and  I  shall  perform  my  duty  as  well  as  I  am  able, 
so  long  as  it  pleases  God  to  give  me  strength.  I  am  just  now 
about  to  assist  our  commander  out  of  his  cabin  ;  he  thinks  it 
will  relieve  his  pain,  for  he  is  struggling  with  death.  The 
night  is  dark,  and  wind  blowing  from  the  south." 

Meantime  the  Dutch,  who  repaired  in  the  summer  season 
to  Greenland,  became  impatient  to  learn  the  fate  of  the  seven 
men  left  in  the  Isle  of  St.  Maurice.  Some  of  the  seamen  got 
into  a  boat  immediately  orrtheir  arrival,  on  the  4th  of  June  1634, 
and  hastened  towards  the  huts.  Yet,  from  none  of  the  others 
having  come  to  the  sea-side  to  welcome  them,  they  presaged 
nothing  good  ;  and  accordingly  found  that  all  the  unfortunate 
men  had  breathed  their  last.  The  first,  as  has  been  seen,  ex- 
pired on  the  16th  of  April  1634,  and  his  comrades,  having  put 
his  body  in  a  coffin,  deposited  it  in  one  of  the  huts.  The  re- 
mainder were  conjectured  to  have  died  about  the  beginning  of 
Ma}1,  from  a  journal  kept  by  them,  expressing  that,  on  the 
27th  of  April,  they  had  killed  their  dog  for  want  of  fresh  pro- 
visions, and  from  its  termination  on  the  last  of  this  month. 

Near  one  of  the  bodies  stood  some  bread  and  cheese,  on 
which  the  mariner  had  perhaps  subsisted  immediately  pre- 
ceding his  decease  ;  a  box  of  ointment  lay  beside  the  cabin 
of  another,  with  which  he  had  rubbed  his  teeth  and  joints,  and 
his  arm  was  still  extended  towards  his  mouth.  A  prayer- 


8RAMRN    WINTERING     IN     SPITZBERGKN  186 

book,  which  he  had  been  leading,  also  lay  near  him.      Each 
of  the  men  was  found  in  his  own  cabin. 

The  Commodore  of  the  Greenland  fleet  having  got  this 
melancholy  intelligence,  ordered  the  six  bodies  to  be  put  into 
coffins,  and,  along  with  the  seventh,  deposited  beneath  the 
snow.  Afterwards,  when  the  earth  thawed,  thoy  were  remov- 
ed, and  interred,  on  St.  John's  day,  under  a  general  discharge 
of  the  cannon  of  the  fleet 


SEAMEN  WINTERING  IN  SPITZBERGEN 

On  the  30th  of  August  1633,  the  Dutch  fleet  saHed  from 
North-Bay,  in  Spitzbergen,  leaving  seven  men  behind,  who 
had  agreed  to  winter  there.  Immediately,  on  departure  of  the 
vessels,  they  began  to  collect  a  sufficient  quantity  of  provisions 
to  serve  their  necessities  until  their  comrades  should  return  in 
the  subsequent  year.  Therefore,  at  different  times,  they 
hunted  rein-deer  with  success,  and  caught  many  sea-fowl ; 
and  also  occasionally  got  herbs,  which  proved  very  salutary. 

Excursions  both  by  sea  and  land  were  frequently  made 
when  the  weather  would  permit  ;  and  they  endeavored  to  kiL". 
whales  and  narwhals  i*  the  different  bays  on  the  east  coast 
of  Spitzbergen. 

The  extreme  cold  of  the  climate  was  announced  by  the  dis- 
appearance of  all  the  feathered  tribe  on  the  third  of  October, 
and  from  that  time  it  gradually  augmented.  On  the  13th  their 
casks  of  beer  were  frozen  three  inches  thick,  and  very  soon 
afterwards,  though  standing  within  eight  feet  of  the  fire,  they 
froze  from  top  to  bottom.  The  seamen  had  broke  the  ice  on 
the  sea,  and  disposed  a  net  for  catching  fish  below  it  ;  but  the 
rigour  of  the  weather  constantly  increasing,  the  ice  formed  a 
foot  thick  at  the  surface  in  the  space  of  two  hours. 

From  the  excessive  celd,  they  remained  almost  censtantly 
in  ted,  and,  notwithstanding  they  had  both  a  grate  and  a  stove, 


186  SEAMEN    WINTERING     IN    SP1TZBEROEN . 

they  were  sometimes  obliged  to  rise  and  take  violent  exercise 
to  keep  themselves  in  heat. 

Beautiful  phenomena  appeared  in  the  sky  during  winter, 
consisting  of  the  Aurora  Borealis,  of  surprising  splendour 
and  magnitude,  and  other  meteors  seeming  to  arise  from  the 
icy  mountains. 

On  the  third  of  March  the  mariners  had  an  encounter  with 
a  monstrous  bear,  in  which  one  of  them  very  nearly  perished 
The  animal  became  furious  from  its  wounds  ;  leaping  against 
*  seaman,  about  to  pierce  it  with  his  lance,  it  threw  him  down, 
uuj,  but  for  the  opportune  interposition  of  another,  would  have 
torn  him  to  pieces. 

At  length,  after  suffering  many  hardships  and  privations  the 
mariners  were  gladdened  with  the  sight  of  a  boat  rowing  into 
the  bay,  on  the  27th  of  May  1634,  announcing  the  return  of 
a  Dutch  Greenlandman,  which  anchored  there  the  same 
evening. 

The  Dutch,  encouraged  by  the  safety  of  this  party,  propos- 
ed that  other  seven  people,  provided  with  all  necessaries, 
should  pass  the  following  winter  in  their  place  ;  and,  accord- 
ingly, Andrew  Johnson,  Cornelius  Thysse,  Jerome  Carcoen, 
Tiebke  Jellis,  Nicolas  Florison,  Adrian  Johnson,  and  Fettje 
Otters,  offered  to  remain. 

The  fleet,  therefore,  sailed  for  Holland  on  the  llth  of 
September  1634,  leaving  these  men  behind.  Numbers  ot 
whales  were  in  sight  of  Spitsbergen  on  the  same  day,  which 
the  people  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  catch. 

Towards  the  end  of  November,  scurvy  beginning  to  appear 
among  them,  they  care/ully  sought  for  green  herbs,  but  ir 
vain  ;  nor  were  they  more  fortunate  in  the  pursuit  of  bears 
and  foxes  for  fresh  provisions.  However,  they  drank  some 
potions  and  took  other  antidotes  against  the  disease,  and  then 
set  traps  for  foxes. 

A  bear  being  discovered  on  the  24th  of  November,  three  of 
Ihe  people  eagerly  proceeded  to  attack  it,  for  their  necessities 
were  daily  becoming  greater.  The  animal,  rising  to  receive 
them  on  its  hind  legs,  was  shot  through  the  body,  whereupon 
it  began  to  bleed  and  roar  most  hideously,  and  fiercely  bit  a 
halbert.  But,  likely  to  be  overpowered,  it  took  to  flight,  and 
was  anxiously  pursued  by  the  people  a  long  way,  carrying 
lanthorns,  though  unsuccessfully  ;  and  they  were  all  much 
dispirited  from  the  disappointment  of  fresh  provision,  which 
they  so  much  required. 

On  the  14th  of  January,  Adrian  Johnson  died.     The  whole 


CO 

"8. 

I 


SEAMEN    WINTERING    IN    SPITSBERGEN. 

of  the  rest  were  extremely  ill.  Fettje  Otter  died  n^xl  day, 
and  also  Cornelius  Thysse  on  the  17th,  a  man  ir  •«  horn  his 
comrades  rested  their  chief  hope  next  to  God. 

Notwithstanding  the  weakness  of  the  survivors,  who  could 
scarce  support  themselves  on  their  legs,  they  contrived  to 
tnake  three  coffins  for  the  deceased,  and  put  their  bodies  intc 
them. 

In  the  beginning  of  February  they  had  the  good  fortune  tc 
catch  a  fox,  an  incident  which  afforded  them  much  satisfac- 
tion .  but  at  that  time  disease  had  gone  too  far  to  admit  their 
deriving  material  benefit  from  the  flesh.  Many  bears,  even 
six  or  ten  together  were  seen  ;  but  the  people  had  not  strength 
to  manage  their  guns,  nor,  had  it  been  otherwise,  were  they 
able  to  pursue  them.  Now  they  were  seized  with  excrucia- 
ting pains  about  the  loins  and  belly,  which  were  aggravated  by 
cold.  One  spit  blood,  and  another  was  afflicted  with  a  bloody 
flux  ;  yet  Jerome  Carcoen  could  still  bring  in  fuel  to  keep  up 
the  fires. 

The  sun  had  disappeared  on  the  20th  of  October,  nor  was 
ho  seen  again  until  the  24th  of  February,  when  the  marine*? 
were  so  weak  as  to  be  constantly  confined  to  their  cabin* 
Two  days  after,  they  ceased  to  be  able  to  write,  at  that  time 
expressing  themselves  in  a  journal  thus  :  "  Four  of  us  who 
still  survive,  lie  flat  on  the  floor  of  our  hut.  We  think  we 
could  still  eat,  were  there  only  one  among  us  able  to  get  fuel, 
but  none  can  move  for  pain  ;  our  time  is  spent  in  constant 
praye~,  that  God,  in  his  mercy,  would  deliver  us  from  ttn» 
misery  ;  we  are  ready  whenever  he  pleases  to  call  us.  As- 
suredly we  cannot  long  survive  without  food  or  firing  ;  we  are 
unable  to  assist  each  other  in  our  mutual  afflictions,  and  each 
must  bear  his  own  burden." 

The  seamen  of  the  Dutch  fleet  arriving  at  Spitzbergen,  in 
1635,  hastened  to  inquire  after  the  fate  of  their  comrades; 
and  having  found  their  hut  all  closed  around  as  a  protection 
against  wild  beasts,  they  broke  open  the  back  door.  A  man 
then  entering,  ran  up  stairs,  where  he  discovered  part  of  a 
dead  dog  on  the  floor,  laid  there  to  dry,  and  quickly  descend- 
ing, trod  on  the  carcass  of  another  dog  also  dead.  Thence 
passing  towards  the  front  door,  he  stumbled  in  the  dark  over 
several  dead  bodies,  which,  after  the  door  was  opened,  were 
seen  lying  together.  Three  were  in  coffins  ;  Nicholas  Flori- 
son  and  another,  each  in  a  cabin  ;  and  the  other  two  on  Borne 
sails  covering  the  floor,  lying  with  their  knees  drawn  up  to 
their  chins.  Therefore  the  whole  of  these  unfortunate  people 
nad  perished. 


190  A    MAN    OVERBOARD. 

Coffins  were  prepared  for  the  four  bodies  wanting  them, 
and  all  were  buried  under  the  snow,  until  the  ground  became 
more  penetrable,  when  they  were  deposited  in  the  earth  be- 
side each  other,  and  stones  laid  on  their  graves,  to  preserve 
them  from  the  ravenous  beasts  of  prey. 


A  MAN  OVERBOARD. 

Sailors  are  men  of  rough  habits,  but  their  feelings  are  no 
by  anv  means  so  coarse  :  if  they  possess  little  prudence  o 
worldly  consideration,  they  are  likewise  very  free  from  selfish 
ness ;  generally  speaking,  too,  they  are  much  attached  to  one 
another,  and  will  make  great  sacrifices  to  their  messmates  or 
shipmates  when  opportunites  occur 

I  remember  once,  when  cruising  ofFTerceira  in  the  Endy-' 
mion,  that  a  man  fell  overboard  and  was  drowned.  After  the 
usual  confusion,  and  long  search  in  vain,  the  boats  were  hoist 
ed  up,  and  the  hands  called  to  make  sail.  I  was  officer  of  the 
forecastle  and  on  looking  about  to  see  if  all  the  men  were  at 
their  station,  missed  one  of  the  foretop  men.  Just  at  that 
moment  I  observed  some  one  curled  up,  and  apparently  hid- 
ing himself  under  the  bow  of  the  barge,  between  the  boat  and 
the  booms.  *  Hillo  !'  I  said,  '  who  are  you  ?  What  are  you 
doing  there,  you  skulker  ?  Why  are  you  not  at  your 
station  ?' 

'  I  am  not  skulking,'  said  the  poor  fellow,  the  furrows  in 
whose  bronzed  and  weatherbeaten  cheek  were  running  down 
with  tears.  The  man  we  had  just  lost  had  been  his  messmate* 
and  friend,  he  told  me,  for  ten  years.  I  begged  his  pardon,  in 
full  sincerity,  for  having  used  such  harsh  words  to  him  at  such 
a  moment,  and  bid  him  go  below  to  his  birth  for  the  rest  of  the 
day — '  Never  mind,  sir,  never  mind,'  said  the  kind  hearted 
seamen,  'it  can't  be  helped.  You  meant  no  harm, sir.  I  am 
as  well  on  deck  as  below  Bill's  gone  sir,  but  I  must  do  mv 


A    MAN    OVERBOARD.  191 

duty.'  So  saying,  he  drew  the  sleeve  of  his  jacket  twice  or 
thrice  across  his  eyes,  and  mustering  his  grief  17ithin  his 
breast,  walked  to  his  station  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

In  the  same  ship  and  nearly  about  the  same  time,  the  people 
were  bathing  along  side  in  a  calm  at  sea.  It  is  customary  on 
such  occasions  to  spread  a  studding-sail  on  the  water,  by 
means  of  lines  from  the  fore  and  main  yard  arms,  for  the  use 
of  those  who  either  cannot  swim,  or  who  are  not  expert  in  this 
art,  so  very  important  to  all  seafaring  people.  Haifa  dozen 
Df.  the  ship's  boys  were  floundering  about  in  the  says,  and 
sometimes  even  venturing  beyond  the  leech  rope.  One  of 
the  least  of  these  urchins,  but  not  the  least  courageous  of  their 
number,  when  taunted  by  his  more  skilful  companions  with 
being  afraid,  struck  out  boldly  beyond  the  prescribed  bounds 
He  had  not  gone  much  further  than  his  own  length,  however, 
along  the  surface  of  the  fathomless  sea,  when  his  heart  failed 
him,  poor  little  man;  and  along  with  his  confidence  away  also 
went  his  power  of  keeping  his  head  above  the  water.  So 
down  he  sank  rapidly,  to  the  speechless  horror  of  the  other 
boys,  who  of  course,  could  lend  the  drowning  child  no  help 

The  captain  of  the  forecastle,  a  tall,  fine-looking,  hard-a- 
weatner  fellow,  was  standing  on 'the  shank  of  the  sheet  anchoi 
with  his  arms  across,  and  his  well  varnished  canvass  hat 
drawn  so  much  over  his  eyes  that  it  was  difficult  to  tell 
whether  he  was  awake  or  merely  dozing  in  the  sun,  as  he 
leaned  his  back  against  the  fore-topmast  backstay.  The  sea- 
men, however,  had  been  attentively  watching  the  young  party 
all  the  time,  and  rather  fearing  that  mischief  might  ensue  from 
their  rashness,  he  had  grunted  out  a  warning  to  them  from 
time  to  time,  to  which  they  paid  no  sort  of  attention.  At  last 
he  desisted,  saying  they  might  drown  themselves  if  they  had  a 
mind,  for  never  a  bit  would  he  help  them  ;  but  no  sooner  did 
the  sinking  figure  of  the  adventurous  little  boy  catch  his  e_y<j, 
than,  diver  fashion,  he  joined  the  palms  of  his  hands  over  his 
head,  inverted  his  position  in  one  instant,  and  urging  himself 
into  swifter  motion  by  a  smart  push  with  his  feet  against  the 
anchor,  shot  head  foremost  into  the  water.  The  poor  lad  sunk 
so  rapidly  that  he  was  at  least  a  couple  of  fathoms  under  the  sur- 
face before  he  was  arrested  by  the  grip  of  the  sailor,  who  soon 
rose  again,  bearing  the  bewildered  boy  in  his  hand,  and  call- 
ing to  the  other  youngsters  to  take  better  care  of  their  com- 
panion, chucked  him  right  into  the  belly  of  the  sail.  The 
fore-sheet  was  hanging  in  the  calm,  nearly  into  the  water,  and 
by  it  the  dripping  seaman  scrambled  up  again  to  his  old  birth 


19  AN    R8CAPE    THROUGH    THE 

on  the  anchor,  shook  himself  like  a  great  Newfoundland  dog 
and  then  jumping  on  the  deck,  proceeded  across  the  forecastle 
to  shirt  himseif. 

At  the  top  of  the  ladder  he  was  stopped  by  the  marine 
officer,  who  had  witnessed  the  whole  transaction,  as  he  sat 
across  the  gangway  hammocks,  watching  the  swimmers,  and 
trying  to  get  his  own  consent  to  undergo  the  labor  of  undress- 
ing. Said  the  soldier  to  the  sailor,  "  That  was  very  well  done 
of  you,  my  man,  and  right  well  deserves  a  glass  of  grog.  Say 
•o  to  the  gnn-room  steward  as  you  pass  ;  and  tell  him  it  is  my 
orders  to  fill  you  out  a  stiff  nor-wester."  The  soldier's  offer 
was  kindly  meant,  but  rather  clumsily  timed,  at  least  so  thought 
Jack  :  for  though  he  inclined  his  head  in  acknowledgment  of 
the  attention,  and  instinctively  touched  his  hat  when  spoken 
to  by  an  officer,  he  made  no  reply  till  out  of  the  marine's 
hearing,  when  he  laughed,  or  rather  chuckled  out  to  the 
people  near  him,  "  Does  the  good  gentleman  suppose  I  '11 
take  a  glass  of  grog  for  saving  a  boy's  life." 


A.\  ESCAPE  THROUGH  THE  CABIN-WINDOWS 

In  the  year  18 — ,  said  Capt   M ,  I  was  bound,  in  a  fine 

stout  ship  of  about  four  hundred  tons  burden,  from  the  port  of 

I1 to  Liverpool.     The  ship  had  a  valuable  cargo  on  board 

and  about  ninety  thousand  dollars  in  specie.  I  had  been  pre- 
vented, by  other  urgent  business,  from  giving  much  of  my  at- 
tention to  the  vessel  while  loading  and  equipping  for  tho 
voyage,  but  was  very  particular  in  my  directions  to  the  chief 
mate,  in  whom  I  had  great  confidence,  he  having  sailed  with 
me  some  years,  to  avoid  entering,  if  possible,  any  but  native 
American  seamen.  When  we  were  about  to  sail,  he  inform- 
ed me  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  comply  with  my  directions 
entirely  in  this  particular  ;  but  had  shipped  two  foreigners  as 
•eamen,  one  a  native  of  Guernsey,  and  the  other  a  Frenchman 


AN    ESCArr    TTIROUOH    TT1E    CABIN-WINDOWS.  193 

from  "Brittany.  I  was  pleased,  however,  with  the  appearance 
of  the  crew  f-uerally,  and  particularly  with  the  foreigners 
They  were  b<  h  «tout  and  able-bodied  men,  and  were  partic- 
ularly alert  P  attentive  to  orders. 

The  pass  ->mmenced  auspiciously  and  promised  to  be  a 

speedy  one,  <^  >.t  took  a  fine  steady  westerly  wind  soon  after 
\ve  lost  soundings.  To  my  great  sorrow  and  uneasiness,  I 
soon  discovered  in  the  foreigners  a  change  of  conduct  for  the 
worse.  They  became  insolent  to  the  mates  and  appeared  to 
be  frequently  under tho  excitement  of  liquor,  and  had  evident- 
ly acquired  an  undue  influence  with  the  rest  of  the  men. 
Their  intemperance  soon  became  intolerable,  and  as  it  was 
evide.it  that  they  had  brought  liquor  on  board  with  them,  I 
determined  upon  searching  the  forecastle  and  depriving  them 
of  it.  An  order  to  this  effect  was  given  to  the  mates,  and 
Ihev  were  directed  to  go  about  its  execution  mildly  and  firmly, 
taking  no  arms  with  them  as  they  seemed  inclined  to  do,  but 
to  give  every  chest,  birth  and  locker  in  the  forecastle  a  thor 
ough  examination  ;  and  bring  aft  to  the  cabin  any  spirits  they 
might  find. 

It  was  not  without  much  anxiety  that  I  sent  them  forward 
upon  this  duty.  I  remained  upon  the  quarter  deck  myself, 
ready  to  go  to  their  aid,  should  it  be  necessary.  In  a  few 
laments,  a  loud  and  angry  dispute  was  succeeded  by  a  sharp 
scuille  around  the  forecastle  companion-way.  The  steward, 
at  my  call,  handed  my  loaded  pistols  from  the  cabin,  and  wilh 
them  1  hastened  forward.  The  Frenchman  had  grappled  the 
second  mate,  who  was  a  mere  lad,  by  the  throat,  thrown  him 
across  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit,  and  was  apparently  determin- 
ed to  strangle  him  to  death.  The  chief  mate  was  calling  foi 
assistance  from  below,  where  he  was  struggling  with  the  Gue  .*• 
sey  man.  The  rest  of  the  crew  were  indifferent  spectators,, 
but  rather  encouraging  the  foreigners  than  otherwise  1  pre 
sen  ted  a  pistol  at  the  head  of  the  Frenchman,  and  ordered  him 
to  release  the  second  mate,  which  he  instantly  did.  I  then 
ordered  him  into  the  fore  top,  and  the  others,  who  were 
near,  into  the  maintop,  none  to  come  down  under  pain  of  death, 
until  ordered.  The  steward  had  by  this  time  brought  another 
pair  of  pistols,  with  which  I  armed  the  second  mate,  directing 
him  to  remain  on  deck  ;  and  went  below  into  the  forecastle 
myself.  1  found  that  the  chief  mate  had  been  slightly  wound- 
ed in  two  places  by  the  knife  of  his  antagonist,  who,  bowerer, 
ceased  to  resist  as  I  made  my  appearance,  and  we  immediate- 
y  secured  him  in  irons.  The  search  was  now  made,  and  a 

VOL.     II  9 


194  AN    ESCAPE    THROUGH    THE    C ABI.V-WltfDOWI. 

quantity  of  liquor  found  and  taken  to  'he  cabin.     The  rest  of 
the  men  were  then  called  down  from  the  tops,  and  the  French- 
man was  made  the  companion  of  his  coadjutor's  confinement 
I  then  expostulated,  at  some  length,  with  the  others  upon  their 
improper  and  insubordinate  conduct,  and  upon  the  readiness 
with  which  they  had  suffered  themselves  to  be  drawn  into  such 
courses  by  two  rascally  foreigners,  and  expressed  hopes  that 
I  should  have  no  ic^  "*j  for  further  complaint  during  the  rest 
(  the  voyage.     Tr.«.      ^monstrance  I  thought  had  effect,  as 
'"y  appeared  contrite  and  promised  amendment.     They  were 
en  dismissed,  and  order  was  restored 

The  next  day  the  foreigners  strongly  solicited  pardon,  with 
the  most  solemn  promises  of  future  good  conduct ;  ar  d  as 
the  rest  of  the  crew  joined  in  their  request,  I  ordered  that 
their  irons  should  be  taken  off.  For  several  days  the  duties 
of  the  ship  were  performed  to  my  entire  satisfaction  ;  but  I 
could  discover  in  the  countenances  of  the  foreigners,  expres- 
sions of  deep  and  rancorous  animosity  to  the  chief  mate,  who 
was  a  prompt,  energetic  seaman,  requiring  from  the  sailors, 
at  all  times,  ready  and  implicit  obedience  to  his  orders. 

A  week  perhaps  had  passed  over  in  this  way,  when  one 
night,  in  the  mid  watch,  all  hands  were  called  to  shorten  sail 
Ordinarily  upon  occasions  of  this  kind,  the  duty  was  conduct- 
ed  by  the   mate,  but  I  now  went    upon  deck  myself  and  gave 
orders,  sending  him  upon  the  forecastle.     The  nig'  .  was  dark 
Hud  squally  ;  but  the  sea  was  not  high,  and  the  ship  was  run- 
ning off  about  nine   knots,  with  the  wind  upon  the  starboard 
quarter.     The  weather  being  very  unpromising,  the  second 
reef  was  taken  in  the  fore  and  main  topsails,  the  mizen  hand- 
ed and  the  fore  and  mizen  top  gallant  yards  sent  down.     This 
done,  one  watch  was  permitted  to  go  below,  and  I  prepared  tc 
betake  myself  to  my  birth  again,  directing  the  mate,  to  whom 
I  wished  to  give  some  orders,  should  be  sent  to  me.     To  my 
utter  astonishment  and  consternation,  word  was  brought  me, 
after  a  short  time,  that  he  was  no  where  to  be  found.     1  hast 
ened  upon  deck,  ordered  ail  hands  up  again,  and  questioned 
every  man  in  the  ship  upon  the  subject  ;  but  they,  with  one 
accord,  declared   thai   they  had   not  seen  the  mate   forward. 
Lanterns   were  then  brought,  and  every  accessible  part  of  the 
vessel  was  unavailingly  searched.     I  then,  in  the  hearing  of 
the  whole  crew,  declared  my  belief  that  he  must  have  fallen 
overboard  by  accident,  again  dismissed  one  watch  below,  and 
repaired  to  the  cabin,  in  a  state  of  mental  agitation  impossible 
to  be  described      For  notwithstanding  the  opinion  which  I 


AH    ESCAPE    THROUGH    THE    CABIN-WINDOWS.  .     196 

had  expressed  to  the  contrary,  I  couid  not  but  entertain  strong 
suspicions  that  the  unfortunate  man  had  met  a  violent 
death. 

The  second  mate  was  a  protegee  of  mine  ;  and,  as  I  have 
before  observed,  was  a  very  young  man  of  not  much  expe- 
rience as  a  seaman.  I  therefore  felt  that,  under  critical  cir- 
cumstances, my  main  support  had  fallen  from  me.  It  is  need- 
less to  add,  that  a  deep  sense  of  forlornness  and  insecurity  was 
the  result  of  these  reflections. 

My  first  step  was  to  load  and  deposit  in  my  state  room  all 
the  fire  arms  on  board,  amounting  to  several  muskets  and  four 
pairs  of  pistols.  The  steward  was  a  faithful  mulatto  man,  who 
had  sailed  with  me  several  voyages.  To  him  I  communicated 
my  suspicions,  and  directed  him  to  he  constantly  on  the  alert  : 
and  should  any  further  difficulty  with  the  crew  occur,  to  re- 
pair immediately  to  my  state  room  and  arm  himself.  His 
usual  birth  was  in  the  steerage,  but  I  further  directed  that  he 
should,  on  the  following  morning,  clear  out  and  occupy  one  in 
the  cabin  near  my  own.  The  second  mate  occupied  a  small 
state  room  opening  into  the  passage  which  led  from  the  steer- 
age to  the  cabin.  I  called  him  from  the  deck,  gave  him  a  pair 
of  loaded  pistols,  with  orders  to  keep  them  in  his  birth  ;  and, 
during  his  night  watches  on  deck,  never  to  go  forward  of  the 
main  mast,  but  to  continue  as  constantly  as  possible  near  the 
cabin  companion-way,  and  call  me  upon  the  slightest  occasion. 
After  this,  I  laid  down  in  my  bed,  ordering  that  I  should  be 
called  at  four  o'clock,  for  the  morning  watch.  Only  a  few 
minutes  had  elapsed,  when  I  heard  three  or  four  knocks  under 
the  counter  of  the  ship,  which  is  that  part  of  the  stern  imme- 
diately under  the  cabin  windows.  In  a  minute  or  two  they 
were  distinctly  repeated.  I  arose — opened  the  cabin  window 
and  called.  The  mate  answered  ! — I  gave  him  the  end  of  a 
rope  to  assist  him  up,  and  never  shall  I  forget  the  flood  of 
gratitude  which  my  delighted  soul  poured  forth  to  that  Being 
who  had  restored  him  to  me  uninjured.  His  story  was  soon 
told.  He  had  gone  forward  upon  being  ordered  by  me,  alter 
the  calling  of  all  hands  and  had  barely  reached  the  forecastle, 
when  he  was  seized  by  the  two  foreigners,  and  before  he 
could  utter  more  than  one  cry,  which  was  drowned  in  the 
roaring  of  the  winds  and  waves,  was  thrown  over  the  bow. 
He  was  a  powerful  man  and  an  excellent  swimmer.  The  top- 
saiis  of  the  ship  were  clewed  down  to  reef,  and  her  way,  of 
course,  considerably  lessened — and  in  an  instant,  he  found 
the  end  of  a  rope,  which  was  accidentally  towing  overboard, 


196  AN    ESCAPE   THROUGH    THE    CABIN-WINDOW* 

within  his  grasp,  by  which  he  dragged  in  the  dead  water  m 
eddy,  that  is  created  under  the  stern  of  a  vessel  while  sailing, 
particularly  if  she  is  full  built  and  deeply  laden,  as  was  the 
case  with  this.  By  a  desperate  effort,  he  caught  one  of  the 
rudder  chains,  which  was  very  low,  and  drew  himself  by  it 
upon  the  step  or  jog  of  the  rudder  where  he  had  sufficient  pre- 
sence of  mind  to  remain  without  calling  out,  until  the  light  had 
ceased  to  shine  through  the  cabin  windcws,  when  he  con- 
cluded that  the  search  for  him  was  over.  He  then  made  the 
signal  to  me. 

Mo  being  in  the  ship,  but  myself,  was  apprised  of  his  safety, 
for  the  gale  had  increased  and  completely  drowned  the  sounds 
of  the  knocking,  opening  the  window,  Sec.  before  they  could 
reach  the  quarter  deck  ;  and  there  was  no  one  in  the  cabin  but 
ourselves,  the  steward  having  retired  to  his  birth  in  the  steer- 
age. It  was  at  once  resolved  that  the  second  mate  only 
should  be  informed  of  his  existence.  He  immediately  betook 
himself  to  a  large  vacant  state  room,  and,  for  the  remainder 
of  the  passage,  all  his  wants  were  attended  to  by  me.  Kven 
the  steward  was  allowed  to  enter  the  cabin  as  rarely  as  pos- 
sible. 

Nothing  of  note  occurred  during,  the  remainder  of  the  voy- 
age, which  was  prosperous.  It  seemed  that  the  foreigners 
nad  only  been  actuated  by  revenge  in  the  violence  they  had 
committed  ;  for  nothing  further  was  attempted  by  them.  In 
due  season  we  took  a  pilot  in  the  channel,  and,  in  a  day  or 
two,  entered  the  port  of  Liverpool.  As  soon  as  the  proper  ar- 
rangements were  made,  we  commenced  warping  the  ship  into 
dock,  and  while  engaged  in  this  operation,  the  Mate  appear- 
ed on  deck,  went  forward,  and  attended  to  his  duties  as  usual  ! 
A  scene  occurred  which  is  beyond  description  :  every  feature 
of  it  is  as  vivid  in  my  recollection  as  though  it  occurred  but 
yesterday,  and  will  be  to  my  latest  breath.  The  warp  drop- 
ped from  the  paralysed  hands  of  the  horror-sticken  sailors,  and 
had  it  not  been  taken  up  by  some  boatmen  on  board,  I  should 
have  been  compelled  to  anchor  again  and  procure  assistance 
from  the  shore.  IVot  a  word  was  uttered  ;  but  the  two  guilty 
wretches  staggered  to  the  mainmast,  where  they  remained 
petrified  with  horror,  until  the  officer,  who  had  bee'i  sent  for, 
approached  to  take  them  into  custody.  They  then  seemed  in 
a  measure  to  be  recalled  to  a  sense  of  their  appalling  predica- 
ment, and  uttered  the  most  piercing  expressions  of  lamenta- 
tion and  despair. 

They  were  soon  tried,  and  upon  the  testimony    if  the  male 
capitally  convicted  and  executed. 


TOM  CRINGLE'S  LOO.  197 


TOM  CRINGLE'S  LOO 

We  had  refitted,  and  been  four  days  at  sea,  on  our  voyage 
lo  Jamaica,  when  the  gun-room  officers  gave  our  mess  a  blow 
out. 

The  increased  motion  and  rushing  of  the  vessel  through 
the  water,  the  groaning  of  the  masts,  the  howling  of  the  gale, 
and  the  frequent  trampling  of  the  watch  on  deck,  were  pro- 
phetic of  wet  jackets  to  some  of  us;  still,  midshipman-like,  wo 
were  as  happy  as  a  good  dinner  and  some  wine  could  make  us, 
until  the  old  gunner  shoved  his  weather  beaten  phiz  and  bald 
pate  in  at  the  door.  "Beg  pardon  Mr.  Splinter,  but  if  you 
will  spare  Mr.  Cringle  on  the  forecastle  an  hour,  until  the 
moon  rises." — ("Spare,"  quotha,  "  is  his  majesty's  officer  a 
joint  stool?") — "  Why,  Mr.  Kennedy,  why?  here,  man,  take 
a  glass  of  grog."  "  I  thank  you  sir."  "  It  is  coming  on  a 
roughish  night,  sir;  the  running  ships  should  be  crossing  us 
hereabouts;  indeed,  more  than  once  1  thought  there  was  a 
strange  sail  close  aboard  of  us,  the  scud  is  flying  so  low,  and 
in  such  white  flakes;  and  none  of  us  have  an  eye  like  Mr 
Cringle,  unless  it  be  John  Crow,  and  he  is  all  but  frozen." 
"  Well,  Tom,  I  suppose  you  will  go" — Anglice,  from  a  first 
lieutenant  to  a  mid — • 

"  Brush  instanter." 

Having  changed  my  uniform  for  shag  trowsers,  pea-jacket 
and  a  south-west  cap,  I  went  forward  and  took  my  station,  in 
no  pleasant  humor,  on  the  stowed  jib,  with  my  arm  around 
the  stay.  I  had  been  half  an  hour  there,  the  weather  was 
getting  worse,  the  rain  was  beating  in  my  face,  and  the  spray 
from  the  stern  was  splashing  over  me,  as  it  roared  through 
the  waste  of  sparkling  and  hissing  waters.  I  turned  my  back 
to  the  weather  for  a  moment  to  press  my  hands  on  my  strain- 
ing eyes.  When  I  opened  them,  I  saw  the  gunner's  gaunt 
and  high-featured  visage  thrust  anxiously  forward;  his  profile 
looked  as  if  rubbed  over  with  phosphorus,  and  his  whole  per- 
son as  if  we  had  been  playing  at  snap  dragon.  "  What  haa 
come  over  you  Mr.  Kennedy?  who's  burning  the  blue  ligh*. 
now?"  "A  wiser  man  than  I  must  tell  you  that;  look  for 


198  TOM  CRINGLE'S  LOO. 

ward  Mr.  Cringle— look  there;  what  do  your  books  say  to 
that?" 

I  looked  forth,  and  saw  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  jib-boom, 
what  I  have  read  of,  certainly,  but  never  expected  to  see, 
a  pale,  greenish,  glow-worm  colored  flame,  of  the  size  and 
shape  of  the  frosted  glass  shade  over  the  swinging  lamp  in 
the  gun-room.  It  drew  out  and  flattened  as  the  vessel  pitch- 
ed and  rose  again,  and  as  she  sheered  about,  it  wavered 
round  the  point  that  seemed  to  attract  it,  like  a  soap  suds  bub- 
ble blown  from  a  tobacco-pipe,  before  it  is  shaken  into  the 
air;  at  the  core  it  was  comparatively  bright,  but  faded  into  a 
halo.  It  shed  a  baleful  and  ominous  light  on  the  surrounding 
objects;  the  group  of  sailors  on  the  forecastle  looked  like 
spectres,  and  they  shrunk  together,  and  whispered  when  it  be- 
gan to  roll  slowly  along  the  spar  where  the  boatswain  was  sit- 
ting at  my  feet.  At  this  instant  something  slid  down  the  stay, 
and  a  cold  clammy  hand  passed  around  my  neck.  I  was 
within  an  ace  of  losing  my  hold  and  tumbling  overboard. — 
"  Heaven  have  mercy  on  me  what's  that?"  "  It's  that  sky- 
larking son  of  a  gun,  Jem  Sparkle's  monkey,  sir.  You  Jem, 
you'll  never  rest  till  that  brute  is  made  shark's  bait  of."  But 
Jacko  vanished  up  the  stay  again,  chuckling  and  grinning  in 
the  ghastly  radiance,  as  if  he  had  been  '  the  spirit  of  the 
Lamp.'  The  light  was  still  there,  but  a  cloud  of  mist,  like  a 
burst  of  vapor  from  a  steam  boiler,  came  down  upon  the  gale 
and  flew  past,  when  it  disappeared.  I  followed  the  white 
mass  as  it  sailed  down  the  wind;  it  did  not,  as  it  appeared  to 
me,  vanish  in  the  darkness,  but  seemed  to  remain  in  sight  to 
leeward,  as  if  checked  by  a  sudden  flaw;  yet  none  of  our 
sails  were  taken  aback.  A  thought  flashed  on  me.  I  peer- 
ed still  more  intensely  into  the  night.  I  was  not  certain. — 
"A  sail,  broad  on  the  lee  bow."  The  captain  answered  from 
the  quarter-deck — "  Thank  you,  Mr.  Cringle.  How  shall 
we  steer?"  "Keep  her  away  a  couple  of  points,  sir,  steady." 
"  Steady,"  sung  the  man  at  the  helm;  and  a  slow  melancholy 
cadence,  although  a  familiar  sound  to  me,  now  moaned 
through  the  rushing  wind,  and  smote  upon  my  heart  as  if  it 
had  been  the  wailing  of  a  spirit.  I  turned  to  the  boatswain, 
who  was  now  standing  beside  me,  "  is  that  you  or  Davy  stee  • 
'ng,  Mr.  Nipper?  if  you  had  not  been  there  bodily  at  my 
side,  I  could  have  sworn  that  was  your  voice."  When  the 
gunner  made  the  same  remark,  it  started  the  poor  fellow;  he 
tried  to  take  it  as  a  joke,  but  could  not.  "There  may  he  a 
laced  hammock  with  a  shot  in  it,  for  some  of  us  ere  morning.'" 


TOM  CRINGLE'S  i.oo.  199 

At  this  moment,  to  n.y  dismay,  the  object  we  were  chasing 
shortened, — gradually  fell  abeam  of  us,  and  finally  disap- 
peared. 

"  The  flying  Dutchman."  "I  can't  see  her  at  all  now." — 
"  She  will  be  a  fore  and  aft  rigged  vessel  that  has  tacked 
sir."  And  sure  enough,  after  a  lew  seconds,  I  paw  the  "white 
object  lengthened  and  drew  out  again  abaft  our  beam.  "  The 
chase  has  tacked,  sir;  put  the  helm  down,  or  she  will  go  to 
tvindward  of  us."  We  tacked  also,  and  time  it  was  we  did 
so,  for  the  rising  moon  now  showed  us  a  large  schooner  with 
a  crowd  of  sail.  We  edged  down  on  her,  when  finding  her 
manoeuvre  detected,  she  brailed  up  her  flat  sails  and  bore  up 
before  the  wind.  This  Was  our  best  point  of  sailing,  and  we 
cracked  on,  the  captain  rubbing  his  hands — "  It's  my  turn  to 
be  the  big  un  this  time."  Although  blowing  a  strong  north- 
wester, it  was  now  clear  moonlight,  and  we  hammered  away 
from  our  bow  guns,  but  whenever  a  shot  told  amongst  the 
rigging,  the  injury  was  repaired  as  if  by  magic.  It  was  evi- 
dent we  had  repeatedly  hulled  her,  from  the  glimmering  whit<- 
streaks  across  her  counter  and  along  her  stern,  occasioned  by 
the  splintering  of  the  timber,  but  it  seemed  to  produce  no 
effect. 

At  length  we  drew  well  upon  her  quarter.  She  continued 
all  black  hull  and  white  sail,  not  a  soul  to  be  seen  on  deck, 
except  a  dark  object  which  we  took  for  the  man  at  the  helm 
"  What  schooner  is  that?"  No  answer.  "Heave  to,  or  I'll 
sink  you."  Still  all  silent.  "Serjeant  Armstrong,  do  you 
think  you  can  pick  off*  that  chap  at  the  wheel?"  The  mari- 
ner jumped  on  the  forecastle,  and  levelled  his  piece,  when  a 
musket-shot  from  the  schooner  crushed  through  his  skull,  and 
he  fell  dead.  The  old  skipper's  blood  was  up.  "  Forecastle 
there!  Mr.  Nipper,  clap  a  canister  of  grape  over  the  round 
shot  in  the  bow  gun,  give  it  to  him."  "Ay,  ay,  sir!"  gleeful- 
ly rejoined  the  boatswain,  forgetting  the  augury,  and  every- 
thing else,  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment.  In  a  twinkling 
ihe  square  foresail — topgallant — royal  and  studding-sail  haul- 
yards,  were  let  go  on  board  the  schooner,  as  if  to  round  to. 
(l  Rake  him,  sir,  or  pive  him  the  stern.  He  has  not  surren- 
dered. I  know  their  game.  Give  him  your  broadside,  sir, 
or  he  is  off*  to  windward  of  you,  like  a  shot.  No,  no,  we  have 
him  now;  heave  to  Mr.  Splinter,  heave  to!"  We  did  so,  and 
that  so  suddenly,  that  the  studding  sail  booms  snapped  lik« 
pipe  shanks  short  off*  by  the  irons.  Notwithstanding,  we  had 
shot  two  hundred  yards  to  the  leeward,  before  we  could  lay 
our  tnaintonsai)  tn  the  mast.  I  ran  to  windward.  Thfl 


200  TOM  CRINGLE'S  too. 

schooner's  yards  and  rigging  were  now  black  with  men,  clus- 
tering like  bees  swarming,  her  square  sails  were  being  close 
furled,  her  fore  and  aft  sails  set,  and  away  she  was,  dead  to 
windward  of  us.  "  So  much  for  undervaluing  our  American 
friends,"  grumbled  Mr.  Splinter. 

We  made  all  sail  in  chase,  blazing  away  to  little  purpose; 
we  had  no  chance  on  a  bowline,  and  when  our  '  Amigo'  had 
satisfied  himself  of  his  superiority  by  one  or  two  short  tacks, 
he  deliberately  took  a  reef  in  his  mainsail,  hauled  down  his 
flying  jib  and  gaff-topsail,  triced  up  the  bunt  of  his  foresail, 
and  fired  his  long  thirty-two  at  us.  The  shot  came  in  our 
third  aftermost  port  on  the  starboard  side,  and  dismounted  the 
carronade,  smashing  the  slide  and  wounding  three  men.  The 
second  missed,  and  as  it  was  madness  to  remain  to  be  pepper- 
ed, probably  winged,  whilst  every  one  of  ours  fell  short,  we 
reluctantly  kept  away  on  our  course,  having  the  gratification 
of  hearing  a  clear  well  blown  bugle  on  board  the  schooner 
play  up  "  Yankee  Doodle."  As  the  brig  fell  off,  our  long  gun 
was  run  out  to  have  a  parting  crack  at  her,  when  the  third 
and  last  shot  from  the  schooner  struck  the  sill  of  the  midship 
port,  and  made  the  white  splinters  fly  from  the  solid  oak  like 
bright  silver  sparks  in  the  moonlight.  A  sharp,  piercing  cry 
rose  in  the  air — my  soul  identified  that  death-shriek  with  the 
voice  that  I  had  heard,  and  I  saw  the  man  who  was  standing 
with  the  lanyard  of  the  lock  in  his  hand  drop  heavily  across 
the  breech,  and  discharge  the  gun  in  his  fall.  Thereupon  a 
blood-red  glare  shot  up  in  the  cold  blue  sky,  as  if  a  volcano 
had  burst  forth  from  beneath  the  mighty  deep,  followed  by  a 
roar,  and  a  scattering  crash,  and  a  mingling  of  unearthly 
cries  and  groans,  and  a  concussion  of  the  air  and  the  water  as 
if  our  whole  broadside  had  been  fired  at  once. — Then  a  soli- 
tary splash  here,  and  a  dip  there,  and  short  sharp  yells,  and 
low  choking  bubbling  moans,  as  the  hissing  fragments  of 
the  nobie  vessel  we  had  seen,  fell  into  the  sea,  and  the  last  of 
her  gallant  crew  vanished  forever  beneath  that  pale  broad 
moon.  We  were  alone;  and  once  more  all  was  dark,  wild 
and  stormy.  Fearfully  had  that  ball  sped  fired  by  a  dead 
man's  hand.  But  what  is  it  that  clings,  black  and  doubled, 
across  the  fatal  cannon,  dripping  and  heavy,  and  choking  the 
scuppers  with  clotting  gore,  and  swaying  to  and  fro  with  the 
motion  of  the  vessel,  like  a  bloody  fleece?  "Who  is  it  that 
was  hit  at  the  gun  there?"  Mr.  Nipper,  the  boatswa'n.  sir, 
(he  last  shot  has  cut  him  in  two." 


LOM   07   THE   NAUTILUS   SLOOP   OF   WAR  301 


LOSS  OF  THE  NAUTILUS  SLOOP  OF  WAR. 

ON    A    ROCK    IN    THE    ARCHIPELAGO 

A  misunderstanding  having  originated  between  the  Court 
of  Great  Britain,  and  the  Ottoman  Porte,  a  powerful  squadron 
was  ordered  to  proceed  to  Constantinople,  for  the  purpose  of 
enforcing  compliance  with  rational  propositions.  The  object, 
however,  proved  abortive;  and  the  expedition  terminated  in  a 
way  which  did  not  enhance  the  reputation  of  these  islands  in 
the  eyes  of  the  Turks. 

Sir  Thomas  Louis,  commander  of  the  squadron  sent  to  the 
Dardanelles,  having  charged  Captain  Palmer  with  dispatches 
of  the  utmost  importance  for  England,  the  Nautilus  got  un- 
der weigh  at  daylight  on  the  third  of  January  1807.  A  fresh 
breeze  from  N.  E.  carried  her  rapidly  out  of  the  Hellespont, 
passing  the  celebrated  castles  in  the  Dardanelles,  which  so 
severely  galled  the  Biititdi.  Soon  afterwards  she  passed 
the  island  of  Tenedos,  off  the  north  eud  of  which,  two  ves- 
sels of  war  were  seen  at  anchor;  they  hoisted  Turkish  col- 
ours, and  in  return  the  Nautilus  showed  those  of  Britain. — 
In  the  course  of  this  day,  many  of  the  other  islands  abound- 
ing in  the  Greek  Archipelago  came  in  sight,  and  in  the  even- 
ing the  ship  approached  the  island  of  Negropont,  lying  in  38 
30  north  latitude,  and  24  8  east  longitude;  but  now  the  navi- 
gation became  more  intrica'e,  from  the  increasing  number  of 
islands,  and  from  the  narrow  entrance  between  Negropont 
Sijd  the  island  of  Andros. 

The  wind  still  continued  to  blow  fresh,  and  as  night  was  ap- 
f  oaching,  with  the  appearance  of  beinu  dark  and  squally, 
the  pilot,  who  was  a  Greek,  wished  to  lie  to  until  morning, 
which  was  done  accordingly;  and  at  day-light  the  vessel 
again  proceeded.  His  course  was  shaped  for  the  island  of 
Faiconera,  in  a  track  which  has  been  so  elegantly  described 
by  Falconer,  in  a  poem  as  far  surpassing  the  uncouth  produc- 
tions of  modern  times,  as  the  Ionian  temples  surpassed  Jiose 
flimsy  structures  contributing  to  render  the  fame  of  th«  origi- 
nals eternal.  This  island,  and  that  of  Anti  JMilo,  were  made 

VOL     II  9*  » 


t05  LOBi    OF    THE   NAUTILUS   fll.OOP    OP    WAR. 

in  the  evening,  the  latter  distant  fourteen  or  sixteen  mile* 
from  the  more  extensive  island  of  Milo,  which  could  not  then 
be  seen,  from  the  thickness  and  haziness  of  the  weather. 

The  pilot  never  having  been  beyond  the  present  position  of 
me  Nautilus,  and  declaring  his  ignorance  of  the  further  bear- 
ings, now  relinquished  his  charge,  which  was  resumed  by  the 
captain.  All  possible  attention  was  paid  to  the  navigation, 
and  Captain  Palmer,  after  seeing  Falconera  so  plainly,  and 
anxious  to  fulfil  his  mission  with  the  greatest  expedition,  re- 
solved to  stand  on  during  the  night.  He  was  confident  of 
clearing  the  Archipelago  by  morning,  and  himself  pricked  the 
course  from  the  chart  which  was  to  be  steered  by  the  vessel. 
This  he  pointed  out  to  his  coxswain,  George  Smith,  of  whose 
ability  he  entertained  a  high  opinion.  Then  he  ordered  hia 
bed  to  be  prepared,  not  having  had  his  clothes  ofT  for  the 
three  preceding  nights,  and  having  scarce  had  any  sleep  from 
the  time  of  leaving  the  Dardanelles. 

A  night  of  extreme  darkness  followed,  with  vivid  lightning 
constantly  flashing  in  the  horizon;  but  this  circumstance  serv- 
ed to  inspire  the  captain  with  a  greater  degree  of  confidence; 
for  being  enabled  by  it  to  see  so  much  further  at  intervals,  he 
thought,  that  should  the  ship  approach  any  land,  the  danger 
would  be  discovered  in  sufficient  time  to  be  avoided. 

The  wind  continued  still  increasing;  and  though  the^  ship 
carried  but  little  sail,  she  went  at  the  rate  of  nine  miles  an 
hour,  being  assisted  by  a  lofty  following  sea,  which  with  the 
brightness  of  the  lightning,  made  the  night  particularly  awful. 
At  half  past  two  in  the  morning,  high  land  was  distinguished, 
which,  those  who  saw  it  supposed  to  be  the  island  of  Cerigot- 
to,  and  thence  thought  all  safe,  and  that  every  danger  had 
been  left  behind.  The  ship's  course  was  altered  to  pass  the 
island,  and  she  continued  on  her  course  until  half  past  four, 
at  the  changing  of  the  watch,  when  the  man  on  the  look-out 
exclaimed,  breakers  ahead!  and  immediately  the  vessel  struck 
with  a  most  tremendous  crash.  Such  was  the  violence  of  the 
shock,  that  people  were  thrown  from  their  beds,  and,  on  com- 
ing upon  deck,  were  obliged  to  cling  to  the  cordage.  All 
was  now  confusion  and  alarm;  the  crew  hurried  on  deck, 
which  they  had  scarce  time  to  do  when  the  ladders  below  gave 
way,  and  indeed  left  many  persons  struggling  in  the  water, 
which  already  rushed  into  the  under  part  of  the  ship.  The 
captain  it  appeared  had  not  gone  to  bed,  and  immediately 
came  on  deck  when  the  Nautilus  struck;  there  having  exam- 
ined her  situation,  he  immediately  went  round,  accompanied 


LOSS   OF    THE    NAUTILUS    SLOOP    OF    WAR  403 

by  his  second  lieutenant,  Mr.  Nesbit,  and  endeavored  to  quiet 
the  apprehensions  of  the  people.  He  then  returned  to  his 
cabin,  and  burnt  his  papers  and  private  signals.  Meantime 
every  sea  lifted  up  the  *hip,  and  then  dashed  her  with  irresisti- 
ble force  on  the  rocks;  and  in  a  short  time,  the  crew  were 
obliged  to  resort  to  the  rigging,  where  (hey  lenr  iined  an  nour, 
exposed  to  the  surges  incessantly  breaking  over  them.  There 
they  broke  out  into  the  most  lamentable  exclamations,  foi 
their  parents,  children  and  kindred,  and  the  distresses  they 
themselves  endured.  The  weather  was  so  dark  and  hazy, 
that  the  rocks  could  be  seen  only  at  a  very  small  distance, 
and  in  two  minutes  afterwards  the  ship  had  struck. 

At  this  time  the  lightning  had  ceased,  but  the  darkness  of- 
the  night  was  such,  that  the  people  could  not  see  the  length 
of  the  ship  from  them;  their  only  hope  rested  in  the  falling 
of  the  main-mast,  which  they  trusted  would  reach  a  small  rock, 
which  was  discovered  very  near  them.  Accordingly,  about 
half  an  hour  before  day-break,  the  main-mast  gave  way,  provi- 
dentially falling  towards  the  rock,  and  by  means  of  it  they 
were  enabled  to  gain  the  land. 

The  struggles  and  confusion  to  which  this  incident  gave 
birth,  can  better  be  conceived  than  described;  some  of  the 
crew  were  drowned,  one  man  had  his  arm  broke,  and  many 
were  cruelly  lacerated;  but  Captain  Palmer  refused  to  quit 
his  station,  while  any  individual  remained  on  board;  and  not 
until  the  whole  of  his  people  had  gained  the  rock  did  he  en- 
deavor to  save  himself.  At  that  time,  in  consequence  of  re- 
maining by  the  wreck,  he  had  received  considerable  personal 
iujury,  and  must  infallibly  have  perished,  had  not  some  of 
the  seamen  ventured  through  a  tremendous  sea  to  his  assist- 
ance. The  boats  were  staved  in  pieces;  several  of  the  peo- 
ple endeavored  to  haul  in  the  jolly-boat,  which  they  were  in- 
capable of  accomplishing. 

The  hull  of  the  vessel  being  interposed,  sheltered  the  ship- 
wrecked crew  a  long  time  from  the  beating  of  the  surf;  but  as 
fehe  broke  up,  their  situation  became  more  perilous  every  mo- 
ment, and  they  soon  found  that  they  should  be  obliged  to 
abandon  the  small  portion  of  the  rock,  which  they  had  reach 
ed,  and  wade  to  another  apparently  somewhat  larger.  The 
first  lieutenant,  by  watching  the  breaking  of  the  seas,  had  got 
safely  thither,  and  it  was  resolved  by  the  rest  to  follow  his  ex- 
ample. Scarce  was  this  resolution  formed,  and  attempted  to 
be  put  into  execution,  when  the  people  encountered  an  im- 
mense quantity  of  loose  spars,  which  were  immediately  wash- 


<04  LOU   OF   THE   NAUTILUS    SLOOP   07    WAR. 

ed  into  the  channel  which  they  had  to  pass;  but  necessity 
would  admit  of  no  alternative.  Many  in  crossing  between 
the  two  rocks  were  severely  wounded;  and  they  suffered  more 
in  this  undertaking  than  in  gaining  the  first  rock  from  the 
ship.  The  loss  of  their  shoes  was  now  felt  in  particular,  for 
the  sharp  rocks  tore  their  feet  in  a  dreadful  manner,  and  the 
legs  of  some  were  covered  with  blood. 

Day-light  beginning  to  appear,  disclosed  the  horrors  bj 
which  those  unfortunate  men  were  surrounded.  The  sea  was 
covered  with  the  wreck  of  their  ill  fated  ship,  many  of  their  un- 
happy comrades  were  seen  floating  away  on  spars  and  timbers; 
and  the  dead  and  dying  were  mingled  together  without  a 
possibility  of  the  survivors  affording  assistance  to  any  that 
might  still  be  rescued.  Two  short  hours  had  been  produc- 
tive of  all  this  misery,  the  ship  destroyed  and  her  crew  re- 
duced to  a  situation  of  despair.  Their  wild  and  affrighted 
looks  indicated  the  sensations  by  which  they  were  agitated; 
but  on  being  recalled  to  a  sense  of  their  real  condition,  tliey 
saw  that  they  had  nothing  left  but  resignation  to  the  will  of 
heaven. 

The  shipwrecked  mariners  now  discovered  that  they  were 
cast  away  on  a  coral  rock  almost  level  with  the  water,  about 
three  or  four  hundred  yards  long,  and  two  hundred  broad. — 
They  were  at  least  twelve  miles  from  the  nearest  islands, 
which  were  afterwards  found  to  be  those  of  Cerigotto  and 
Pera,  on  the  north  end  of  Candia,  about  thirty  miles  distant. 
At  this  time  it  was  reported,  that  a  small  boat,  with  several 
men,  had  escaped;  and  although  the  fact  was  true,  the  uncer- 
tainty of  her  fate  induced  those  on  the  rock  to  confide  in  be- 
ing relieved  by  any  vessel  accidentally  passing  in  sight  of  a 
signal  of  distress  they  had  hoisted  on  a  long  pole;  the  neigh- 
boring islands  being  too  distant. 

The  weather  had  been  extremely  cold,  and  the  day  preced- 
ing the  shipwreck  ice  had  lain  on  the  deck;  now,  to  resist  its 
inclemency,  a  fire  was  made,  by  means  of  a  knife  and  a  flint 
preserved  in  the  pocket  of  one  of  the  sailo  -s;  and  with  much 
difficulty,  some  damp  powder,  from  a  small  barrel  washed  on 
shore,  was  kindled.  A  kind  of  tent  was  next  made,  with 
pieces  of  old  canvass,  boards,  and  such  things  as  could  be 
got  about  the  wreck,  and  the  people  were  thus  enabled  to  dry 
the  few  clothes  they  had  saved.  But  they  passed  a  long  and 
comfortless  night,  though  partly  consoled  with  the  hope  of 
their  fire  being  descried  in  the  dark,  and  taken  for  a  signa'  of 
distress.  Nor  was  this  hope  altogether  disappointed. 


LOSS   OF   TH1.    NAUTILUS    SLOOP    OF   WAR.  $03 

When  the  ship  first  struck,  a  small  whaL>-boat  was  hang- 
ing over  the  quarter,  into  which,  an  oflicer,  George  Smith 
the  coxswain,  and  nine  men,  immediately  got,  and,  lowering 
themselves  into  the  water,  happily  escaped.  AMer  rowing 
three  or  four  leagues  against  a  very  high  sea,  and  the  wind 
blowing  hard,  they  reached  the  small  island  of  Peia.  This 
proved  to  be  scarce  a  mile  in  circuit,  and  containing  nothing 
but  a  few  sheep  and  goats,  belonging  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Cerigo,  who  come  in  the  summer  months  to  carry  away  their 
young.  They  could  find  no  fresh  water,  except  a  small  resi- 
due from  rain  in  the  hole  of  a  rock,  and  that  was  barely  suffi- 
cient though  most  sparingly  used.  During  the  night,  having 
observed  the  fire  above  mentioned,  the  party  began  to  con- 
jecture that  some  of  their  shipmates  might  have  been  saved, 
for  until  then  they  had  deemed  their  destruction  inevitable. — 
The  coxswain  impressed  with  this  opinion,  proposed  again 
hazarding  themselves  in  the  boat  for  their  relief,  and,  although 
some  feeble  objections  were  offered  against  it,  he  continued 
resolute  to  his  purpose,  and  persuaded  lour  others  to  accompa- 
ny him. 

About  nine  in  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  the  second  day  of 
the  shipwreck,  the  approach  in  the  little  whale-boat  was  de- 
scried by  those  on  the  rock;  all  uttered  an  exclamation  ol  joy 
and  in  return  the  surprise  of  the  coxswain  and  his  crew  t: 
find  so  many  of  their  shipmates  still  surviving  is  not  to  be  de- 
scribed. But  the  surf  lan  so  high  as  to  endanger  the  safety 
of  the  boat,  and  several  of  the  people  imprudently  endeavor- 
ed to  get  into  it.  The  coxswain  tried  to  persuade  Captain 
Palmer  to  come  to  him,  but  he  steadily  refused,  saying,  "  No, 
Smith,  save  your  unfortunate  shipmates,  never  mind  me." — 
After  some  little  consultation,  he  desired  him  to  take  the 
Greek  piolot  on  board,  and  make  the  best  of  his  way  to  Cer- 
rigotto,  where  the  pilot  said  there  were  some  families  of  fish 
ermen,  who  doubtless  would  relieve  their  necessities. 

But  it  appeared  as  if  Heaven  had  ordained  the  destruction 
of  this  unfortunate  crew,  for,  soon  after  th^  boat  departed,  the 
wind  began  to  increase,  and  dark  cloun-*  gathering  around, 
excited  among  those  remaining  behind  alt  tneir  aoprehensioiuj 
for  a  frightful  storm.  In  a  about  two  hours  it  commenced 
with  the  greatest  fury;  the  waves  rose  considerably,  and  soon 
destroyed  the  fire.  They  nearly  covered  the  rock,  and  com- 
pelled the  men  to  fly  to  the  highest  part  for  refuge,  which  wa« 
the  only  one  that  could  afford  any  shelter.  There  nearly 
ninety  people  passed  anight  of  the  greatest  horrors;  and 


£06  LOSS    OP    THE    NAOTILU3    SI  OOP    OP 

only  means  of  preventing  themselves  from  being  swept  away 
by  the  surf,  which  every  moment  broke  over  them,  was  by  a 
small  rope  fastened  round  the  summit  of  the  rock,  and  with 
difficulty  holding  on  by  each  other. 

The  fatigues  which  the  people  had  previously  undergone, 
added  to  what  they  novr  endured,  proved  too  overpowering  to 
many  of  fneir  number;  several  became  delirious;  their  strength 
w.is  exhausted,  and  they  could  hold  on  no  longer.  Their  af- 
flictions were  still  further  aggravated  by  an  apprehension  that 
the  wind,  veering  more  to  the  north,  would  raise  the  sea  to 
their  present  situation,  in  which  case  a  single  wave  would 
have  swept  them  all  into  oblivion 

The  hardships  which  the  crew  had  already  suffered  were 
sufficient  to  terminate  existence,  and  many  had  met  with  de- 
plorable accidents.  One  in  particular,  while  crossing  the 
channel  between  the  rocks  at  an  unsuitable  time,  was  dashed 
against  them  so  as  to  be  nearly  scalped,  and  exhibited  a  dread- 
ful spectacle  to  his  companions.  He  lingered  out  the  night, 
and  next  morning  expired.  The  more  fortunate  survivors 
were  but  ill  prepared  to  meet  the  terrible  effects  of  famine; 
their  strength  enfeebled,  their  bodies  unsheltered  and  aban- 
doned by  hope.  Nor  were  they  less  alarmed  for  the  fate  of 
their  bout.  The  storm  came  on  before  she  could  have  reach- 
ed the  intended  island,  and  on  her  safety  their  own  depended. 
But  the  scene  which  daylight  presented  was  still  more  deplora- 
ble. Th*  survivors  beheld  the  corpses  of  their  departed  ship- 
mates, and  some  still  in  the  agonies  of  death.  They  were 
tht.nselves  altogether  exhausted,  from  the  sea  all  night  break- 
ing over  them,  and  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  which  was 
s««ch,  that  many,  among  whom  was  the  carpenter,  perished 
.rom  excessive  cold. 

But  this  unfortunate  crew  had  now  to  suffer  a  mortification, 
and  to  witness  an  instance  of  inhumanity,  which  leaves  an 
eternal  stain  of  infamy  on  those  who  merit  the  reproach.— 
Soon  after  day  broke,  they  observed  a  vessel  with  all  sail  set, 
coming  down  before  the  wind,  steering  directly  for  the  rock 
They  made  every  possible  signal  of  distress  which  their  fee- 
ble condition  admitted,  nor  without  effect,  for  they  were  at 
last  seen  by  the  vessel,  which  bore  to  and  hoisted  out  her 
boaf.  The  joy  which  this  occasioned  may  be  easily  conceiv 
ed,  for  nothing  short  of  immediate  relief  was  anticipated;  and 
they  hastily  made  preparation  for  rafts  to  carry  them  through 
the  surf,  confident  that  the  boat  was  provided  with  whatevei 
might  administer  tc  t'leir  necessities.  Approaching  still  near 


rxws  or  THI  MAUTILUS  si.<  op  OF  WAR.  fOT 

er,  she  came  within  pistol-shot,  full  ol  men  dressed  in  the 
European  fashion,  who  after  having  gazed  at  them  a  few 
minutes,  the  person  who  steered,  waved  his  hat  to  them  and 
then  rowed  off  to  his  ship.  The  pain  of  the  shipwrecked 
people  at  this  barbarous  proceeding  was  acute,  and  heighten- 
ed even  more  by  beholding  the  stranger  vessel  employed  the 
whole  day  in  taking  up  the  floating  remains  of  that  less  for- 
tunate one  which  had  so  lately  borne  them. 

Perhaps  the  abandoned  wretches  guilty  of  so  unfeeling  an 
act  may  one  day  be  disclosed,  and  il  would  surely  excite  lit- 
tle compassion  to  learn  that  they  suffered  that  retribution 
which  such  inhuman  conduct  merits.  That  people  dressed  in 
the  habit  of  Englishmen,  though  belonging  to  a  different  na- 
tion, could  take  advantage  of  misery  instead  of  relieving  it, 
will  scarce  seem  creditable  at  the  present  day,  were  not  some 
instances  of  a  similar  nature  related  elsewhere  than  in  these 
volumes. 

After  this  cruel  disappointment,  and  bestowing  an  anathe- 
ma which  the  babarity  of  the  strangers  deserved,  the  thoughts 
of  the  people  were,  during  the  remainder  of  the  day,  directed 
towards  the  return  of  the  boat;  and  being  disappointed  there 
also,  their  dread  that  she  had  been  lost  was  only  further  con- 
firmed. They  began  to  yield  to  despondency,  and  had  the 
gloomy  prospect  of  certain  death  before  them.  Thirst  then 
became  intolerable;  and  in  spite  of  being  warned  against  it 
by  instances  of  the  terrific  effects  ensuing,  some  in  desperation 
resorted  to  salt  water.  Their  companions  had  soon  the  grief 
of  learning  what  they  would  experience  by  following  their  ex- 
ample; in  a  few  hours  raging  madness  followed,  and  nature 
could  struggle  no  longer. 

Another  awful  night  was  to  be  passed,  yet  the  weather  be- 
ing considerably  more  moderate,  the  sufferers  entertained 
hopes  that  it  would  be  less  disastrous  than  the  one  preceding; 
and  to  preserve  themselves  from  the  cold,  they  crowded  close 
together  and  covered  themselves  with  their  few  remaining 
rags.  But  the  ravings  of  their  comrades  who  had  drank  salt 
water  were  truly  horrible;  all  endeavors  to  quiet  them  were 
ineffectual,  and  the  power  of  sleep  lost  its  influence.  In  the 
m.ddle  of  the  night  they  were  unexpectedly  hailed  by  the 
crew  of  the  whale-boat;  but  the  only  object  of  the  people  on 
the  rock  was  water;  they  cried  out  to  their  shipmates  for  it, 
though  in  vain.  Earthen  vessels  only  could  have  been  pro- 
cured, and  these  would  not  bear  being  conveyed  through  the 
•urf  The  coxswain  then  said  they  should  be  taken  off  the 


t08  LOSS  OP   THE    NAUTILUS    SLOOP   OP    WA» 

rock  by  a  fishing  essel  in  the  morning,  and  with  this  assur- 
ance they  were  forced  to  be  content.  It  was  some  consola- 
tion to  know  that  the  boat  was  safe,  ami  that  relief  had  so  tar 
been  obtained. 

All  the  people  anxiously  expected  morning,  and,  for  the 
first  time  since  being  on  the  rock,  the  sun  cheered  them  with 
its  rays.  Still  the  fourth  morning  came  and  no  tidings  either 
of  the  boat  or  vessel.  The  anxiety  of  the  people  increased, 
foi  inevitable  death  from  famine,  was«taring  them  in  the  face 
What  were  they  to  do  for  self-preservation?  The  misery 
and  hunger  which  they  endured,  were  extreme;  they  were 
not  ignorant  of  the  means  whereby  other  unfortunate  mari- 
ners in  the  like  situation  had  protracted  life,  yet  they  viewed 
them  with  disgust.  Still  when  they  had  no  alternative,  ihov 
considered  their  urgent  necessities  and  found  them  affording 
some  excuse.  Offering  prayers  to  Heaven  for  forgiveness  of 
the  sinful  act,  they  selected  a  young  man  who  had  died  the 
preceding  night,  and  ventured  to  appease  their  hunger  with 
human  flesh. 

Whether  the  people  were  relieved  is  uncertain,  for  towards 
evening  death  had  made  hasty  strides  among  them,  and  many 
brave  men  drooped  under  their  hare -hips.  Among  these  were 
the  captain  and  first  lieutenant,  two  meritorious  officers:  anu 
the  sullen  silence  now  preserved  by  the  survivors,  shewed  the 
state  of  their  internal  feelings.  Captain  Palmer  was  in  the 
2t>lh  year  of  his  age;  amidst  his  endeavors  to  comfort  those 
under  his  command,  his  companions  in  misfortune,  his  person- 
al injuries  were  borne  with  patience  and  resignation,  and  no 
murmurs  escaped  his  lips;  his  virtuous  life  whs  prematurely 
closed  by  the  overwhelming  severities  of  the  lamentable  ca- 
tastrophe he  had  shared. 

During  the  course  of  another  tedious  night,  many  suggest- 
ed the  possibility  of  constructing  a  raft  which  might  carry  the 
survivors  to  Cerigotto;  and  the  wind  being  favorable,  might 
enable  them  to  reach  that  island.  At  all  events,  attempting 
this  seemed  preferable  to  remaining  on  the  rock  to  expire  01* 
hunger  and  thirst.  Accordingly,  at  daylight  they  prepared  IG 
put  their  plan  in  execution.  A  number  of  the  larger  spars 
were  lashed  together,  and  sanguine  hopes  of  success  enter, 
tained.  At  length  the  moment  of  launching  the  raft  arrived, 
but  it  was  only  to  distress  the  people  with  new  disappoint- 
ments, for  a  few  moments  sufficed  for  the  destruction  of  a 
work  on  which  the  strongest  of  the  party  had  been  occupies 
hour?  Several  from  this  nnoxpeclod  failure  became  still 


LOSS    Of    THE    NAUTILUS    Sl.OOf   OF   WAB  209 

more  desperate,  and  five  resolved  to  trust  themselves  on  a  few 
small  spars  slightly  lashed  together,  and  on  which  they  had 
scarce  room  to  stand.  Bidding  their  companions  adieu,  they 
launched  out  into  the  sea,  where  they  were  speedily  carried 
away  by  unknown  currents,  and  vanished  forever  from  sight 

Towards  the  same  afternoon,  the  people  were  again  rejoiced 
by  the  sight  of  the  whale-boat,  and  the  coxswain  told  them 
that  ho  had  experienced  great  difficulty  in  prevailing  on  the 
Greek  fishermen  of  Cerigotto  to  venture  in  their  boats,  from 
dread  of  the  weather.  Neither  would  they  permit  him  to 
take  them  unaccompanied  by  themselves;  he  regretted  what 
his  comrades  had  endured,  and  his  grief  at  not  being  able  yet 
to  relieve  them,  but  encouraged  them  with  hopes,  if  the 
weather  remained  fine,  that  next  day  the  boats  might  come. 
While  the  coxswain  spoke  this,  twelve  or  fourteen  men  im- 
prudently plunged  from  the  rock  into  the  sea,  and  very  near- 
ly reached  the  boat.  Two  indeed,  got  so  far  as  to  be  taken 
in,  one  was  drowned  and  the  rest  providentially  recovered 
their  former  station.  Those  who  thus  escaped  could  not  but 
be  envied  by  their  companions,  while  they  reproached  the  in- 
discretion of  the  others,  who,  had  they  reached  the  boat, 
would  without  all  doubt  have  sunk  her,  and  thus  unwittingly 
consigned  the  whole  to  irremediable  destruction. 

The  people  were  wholly  occupied  in  reflections  on  the  pass- 
ing incidents;  but  their  weakness  increased  as  the  day  elaps- 
ed; one  of  the  survivors  describes  himself  as  feeling  the  ap- 
proach of  annihilation,  that  his  sight  failed,  and  his  senses  be- 
came confused;  that  his  strength  was  exhausted,  and  his  eyes 
turned  towards  the  setting  sun,  under  the  conviction  that  he 
should  never  see  it  rise  again.  Yet  on  the  morning  he  sur- 
vived, and  he  was  surprised  that  Providence  willed  it  should 
still  be  so,  as  several  strong  men  had  fallen  in  the  course  of 
the  night.  While  the  remainder  were  contemplating  their 
forlorn  condition,  and  judging  this  the  last  day  of  their  lives, 
the  approach  of  the  boats  was  unexpectedly  announced. — 
From  the  lowest  ebb  of  despair,  they  were  now  elated  with  the 
most  extravagant  joy;  and  copious  draughts  of  water,  quickly 
landed,  refreshed  their  languid  bodies.  Never  before  did 
they  know  the  blessings  which  the  single  possession  of  water 
could  atford;  it  tasted  more  delicious  than  the  finest  wines. 

Anxious  preparations  were  made  for  immediate  departure 
from  a  place,  which  had  been  fatal  to  so  many  unhappy  suffer- 
ers. Of  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  persons  on  board  th« 
Nautilus  when  she  struck,  fifty-ei^ht  had  perished.  Eighteen 


210  LOSS    OF   THE    NAUTILUS    SLOOP    OF 

were  drowned,  it  was  supposed,  at  the  moment  of  the  catas- 
trophe, and  one  in  attempting  to  reach  the  boat,  five  were 
lost  on  the  small  raft,  and  thirty-four  died  of  famine.  About 
fifty  now  embarked  in  four  fishing  vessels,  and  landed  the 
same  evening  t»t  the  island  of  Cerigctto,  making  altogether 
sixty-four  individuals,  including  those  who  escaped  in  the 
whale-boat.  Six  days  had  been  passed  on  the  rock,  nor  had 
tbe  people,  during  that  time,  received  any  assistance,  except- 
ing from  the  human  flesh  of  which  they  had  participated. 

The  survivors  landed  at  a  small  creek  in  the  island  of  Ceri- 
gotto,  after  which  they  had  to  go  to  a  considerable  distance 
before  reaching  the  dwellings  of  their  friends.  Their  first 
care  was  to  send  for  the  master's  mate,  who  had  escaped  to 
the  island  of  Pori,  and  had  been  left  behind  when  the  whale- 
boat  came  down  to  the  rock.  He  and  his  companions  had 
exhausted  all  the  fresh  water,  but  lived  on  the  sheep  and 
goats,  which  they  caught  among  the  rocks,  and  had  drank 
their  blood.  There  they  had  remained  in  a  state  of  great 
uncertainty  concerning  the  fate  of  those  who  had  left  them  in 
the  boat. 

Though  the  Greeks  could  not  aid  the  seamen  in  the  care  of 
their  wounds,  they  treated  them  with  great  care  and  hospi- 
tality; but  medical  assistance  being  important,  from  the  pain 
the  sufferers  endured,  and  having  nothing  to  bind  up  their 
wounds  but  shirts  which  they  tore  into  bandages,  they  were 
eager  to  reach  Cerigo.  The  island  of  Cerigotto,  where 
they  had  landed,  was  a  dependency  on  the  other,  about  fif- 
teen miles  long,  ten  broad,  and  of  a  barren  and  unproductive 
soil,  with  little  cultivation.  Twelve  or  fourteen  families  of 
Greek  fishermen  dwelt  upon  it,  as  the  pilot  had  said,  who 
were  in  a  state  of  extreme  poverty.  Their  houses,  or  rather 
huts,  consisting  of  one  or  two  rooms  on  the  same  floor,  were, 
in  general,  built  against  the  side  of  a  rock;  the  walls  compos- 
ed of  clay  and  straw,  and  the  roof  supported  by  a  tree  in  the 
centre  of  the  dwelling.  Their  food  was  a  coarse  *cind  of 
bread,  formed  of  boiled  pease  and  flour,  which  was  made  into 
a  kind  of  paste  for  the  strangers,  with  once  or  twice  a  bit  of 
kid;  and  that  was  all  which  they  could  expect  from  their  de- 
liverers. But  they  made  a  liquor  from  corn,  which  having  an 
agreeable  flavour,  and  being  a  strong  spirit,  was  drank  with 
avidity  by  the  sailors. 

Cerigo  was  about  twenty-five  miles  distant,  and  there,  it 
was  also  eaid,  an  English  consul  resided.  Eleven  daya 
eiapsed,  however,  before  the  crew  could  leave  Cerigotto,  from 


LOSS   OF   THE    NAUTILUS    SLOOP    OP    IT  Aft.  tit 

the  difficulty  of  persuading  the  Greeks  to  adventure  to  sea, 
in  their  frail  barks,  during  tempestuous  weather.  The  wind 
at  last  proving  fair,  with  a  smooth  sea,  they  bade  a  grateful 
adieu  to  the  families  of  their  deliverers,  who  wen,  tenderly  af 
fected  by  their  distresses,  and  shed  tears  of  regret  when  they 
departed.  In  six  or  eight  hours,  they  reached  Cerigo,  where 
they  were  received  with  open  arms.  Immediately  on  arrival, 
they  were  met  by  the  English  vice-consul,  Signor  Manuel 
Caluci,  a  native  of  the  island,  who  devoted  his  house,  ocd, 
credit  and  whole  attention  to  their  service;  and  the  survivors 
unite  in  declaring  their  inability  to  express  the  obligations  un 
der  which  he  laid  them.  The  governor,  commandant,  bishop 
and  principal  people,  all  shewed  equal  hospitality,  care  and 
friendship,  and  exerted  themselves  to  render  the  time  agreea- 
ble; insomuch  that  it  was  with  no  little  regret  that  these  ship- 
wrecked mariners  thought  of  forsaking  the  island. 

After  the  people  had  remained  three  weeks  at  Cerigo,  they 
learnt  that  a  Russian  ship  of  war  lay  at  anchor  oft"  the  Morea 
about  twelve  leagues  distant,  being  driven  in  by  bad  weather, 
and  immediately  sent  letters  to  her  commanding  officer,  nar- 
rating their  misfortunes  and  soliciting  a  passage  to  Corfu. — 
The  master  of  the  Nautilus  determining  to  make  the  most  of 
the  opportunity,  took  a  boat  to  reach  the  Russian  vessel;  but 
he  was  at  first  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  blown  on  the  rocks  in 
a  heavy  gale  of  wind,  where  he  nearly  perished,  and  the  boat 
was  staved  in  pieces.  However,  he  luckily  got  to  the  ship, 
and  after  some  difficulty,  succeeded  in  procuring  the  desired 
passage  for  himself  and  his  companions  to  Corfu.  Her  com- 
mander, to  accommodate  them,  came  down  to  Cerigo,  and 
anchored  at  a  small  port  called  St  Nicholas,  at  the  eastern 
extremity  ot  the  island.  The  English  embarked  on  the  oth 
but,  owing  to  contrary  winds,  did  not  sail  until  the  15th  of 
February,  when  they  bade  farewell  to  their  friends.  They 
next  touched  at  /ante,  another  small  island,  abounding  in 
currants  and  olives,  the  oil  from  the  latter  of  which  consti- 
tutes the  chief  riches  of  the  people.  After  remaining  there 
four  days,  they  sailed  for  Corfu,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
C2d  of  March  1807,  nearlv  two  months  after  the  date  of  their 
shipwreck. 


tit  WRECK     OP     A     SLAVE     SHIP 


•VRECK  OF  A  SLAVE  SHIP. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  Philadelphia,  dated 
November  llth,  1762,  gives  an  account  of  the  melancholy 
cisaster  that  befel  the  Phoenix,  Capt.  M'Gacher,  in  lat.  37 
deg.  N.  and  Lon.  72  deg.  W.  from  London,  bound  to  Potomac, 
in  Maryland,  from  the  coast  of  Africa,  with  332  slaves  on 
board. 

"  On  Wednesday  the  20th  of  October  1762,  at  six  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  came  on  a  most  violent  gale  of  wind  at  south, 
with  thunder  and  lightning,  the  sea  running  very  high,  when 
the  ship  sprung  a  leak,  and  we  were  obliged  to  lie-to  under 
bare  poles,  the  water  gained  on  us  with  both  pumps  constantly 
working.  10  P.  M.  endeavored  to  put  the  ship  before  the 
wind  to  no  purpose.  At  twelve  the  sand  ballast  having  chok- 
ed our  pumps,  and  there  being  seven  feet  water  in  the  hold, 
all  the  c^sks  afloat,  and  the  ballast  shifted  to  leeward,  cut  away 
the  rigging  of  the  main  and  mizen  masts,  both  of  which  went  in- 
stantly close  by  the  deck,  and  immediately  after  the  foremast 
was  carried  away  about  twenty  feet  above.  Hove  overboard 
all  our  guns,  upon  which  the  ship  righted  a  little.  We  were 
then  under  a  necessity  of  letting  all  our  slaves  out  of  irons,  to 
assist  in  pumping  and  baling. 

"  Thursday  morning  being  moderate,  having  gained  about 
three  feet  on  the  ship,  we  found  every  cask  in  the  hold  stove 
to  pieces,  so  that  we  only  saved  a  barrel  of  flour,  10  Ibs.  of 
bread,  twenty-five  gallons  of  wine,  beer,  and  shrub,  and  twenty- 
five  gallons  of  spirits.  The  seamen  and  slaves  were  employ- 
ed all  this  day  in  pumping  and  baling  ;  the  pumps  were  fre 
quently  choked,  and  brought  up  great  quantities  of  sand.  We 
were  obliged  to  hoist  one  of  the  pumps  up,  and  put  it  down  tht 
quarter  deck  hatchway.  A  ship  this  day  bore  down  upon  us, 
and,  though  very  near,  and  we  making  every  signal  of  distress, 
she  would  not  speak  to  us. 

"  On  Friday,  the  men  slaves  being  very  sullen  and  unruly, 
having  had  no  sustenance  of  any  kind  for  forty-eight  hours, 
except  a  dram,  we  put  one  half  of  the  strongest  of  them  in 
irons. 


THE     WRECK'D     SEAMEN. 

"  On  Saturday  and  Sunday,  all  hands  night  and  day  could 
scarce  keep  the  ship  clear,  and  were  constantly  under  arms. 

u  On  Monday  morning,  many  of  the  slaves  had  got  out  of 
irons,  and  were  attempting  to  break  up  the  gratings;  and  the 
seamen  not  daring  to  go  down  in  the  hold  to  clear  the  pumps, 
we  were  obliged,  for  the  preservation  of  our  own  lives,  to  kill 
fiftv  of  the  ringleaders  and  stoutest  of  them. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  misery  the  poor  slaves  under- 
went, having  had  no  fresh  water  for  five  days.  Their  dismal 
cries  and  shrieks,  and  most  frightful  looks,  added  a  great  deal 
to  our  misfortunes  ;  four  of  them  were  found  dead,  and  one 
drowned  herself  in  the  hold.  This  evening  the  water  gained 
>n  us,  and  three  seamen  dropped  down  with  fatigue  and  thirst, 
jvhich  could  not  be  quenched,  though  wine,  rum,  and  shrub 
were  given  them  alternately.  On  Thursday  morning  the  ship 
had  gained,  during  the  night,  above  a  foot  of  water,  and  the 
seamen  quite  worn  out,  and  many  of  them  in  despair.  About 
ten  in  the  forenoon  we  saw  a  sail ;  about  two  she  discovered 
us,  and  bore  down  ;  at  five  spoke  to  us,  being  the  King  George, 
of  Londonderry,  James  Mackay,  master;  he  immediately  pro- 
mised to  take  us  on  board,  and  hoisted  out  his  yawl,  it  then 
blowing  very  fresh.  The  gale  increasing,  prevented  him  from 
saving  any  thing  but  the  white  people's  lives,  not  even  any  of 
our  clothes,  or  one  slave,  the  boat  being  scarcely  able  to  live 
in  the  sea  the  last  trip  she  made.  Capt.  Mackay  and  some 
gentlemen,  passengers  he  had  on  board,  treated  us  with  kind- 
less  and  humanity.' 


THE  WRECKED  SEAMEN 

The  annexed  thrilling  sketch  is  extracted  from  the  "  Life  ol 
t  Sailor,  by  a  Captain  in  the  British  Navy."  It  relates  to 
ine  exposures  of  the  crew  of  the  Magpie,  who  had  taken  tc 
vhe  boat,  after  their  shipwreck  on  the  coast  of  Cuba.  The 
boat  was  uosetj — the  s'.orm  continues: — 


£ 14  THE    WRECK'D  SEAMEN. 

'  Even  in  this  moment  of  peril,  the  discipline  of  tho 
assumed  its  command.  At  the  order  from  the  lieutenant  foi 
the  men  on  the  keel  to  relinquish  their  position  they  instantly 
obeyed,  the  boat  was  turned  over  and  once  more  the  expedient 
was  tried — but  quite  in  vain;  for  no  sooner  had  the  two  met. 
begun  to  bail  with  a  couple  of  hats,  and  the  safetv  of  iht> 
crew  to  appear  within  the  bounds  of  probability,  than  ont 
man  declared  he  saw  the  fin  of  a  shark.  IS'o  language  ca^. 
convey  an  idea  of  the  panic  which  seized  the  struggling  sea- 
men ;  a  shark  is  at  all  times  an  object  of  horror  to  a  sailor;  and 
those  who  have  seen  the  destructive  jaws  of  this  voracious 
fish,  and  their  immense  and  almost  incredible  power — their 
love  of  Llood  and  their  bold  daring  to  obtain  it,  alone  can 
form  an  idea  of  the  sensations  produced  in  a  swimmer  by  the  cry 
of  "  a  shark!  a  shark!1'  Every  man  now  struggled  to  obtain 
a  moment's  safety.  Well  they  knew  that  one  drop  of  blood 
would  have  been  scented  by  the  everlasting  pilot-fish,  the  jack- 
alls  of  the  shark;  and  that  their  destruction  was  inevitable,  if 
one  only  of  these  monsters  should  discover  this  rich  repast, 
or  be  led  to  its  food  by  the  little  rapid  hunter  of  its  prey. — 
All  discipline  was  now  unavailing,  the  boat  again  turned  keel 
up;  one  man  only  gained  his  security  to  be  pushed  from  it  by 
others  and  thus  their  strength  begun  to  fail  from  long  continu- 
ed exertion.  However,  as  the  enemy  so  much  dreaded  did 
not  make  its  appearance,  Smith  once  more  urged  them  to  en- 
deavor to  save  themselves  by  the  only  means  left,  that  of  the 
boat;  but  as  he  knew  that  he  would  only  increase  their  alarm 
by  endeavoring  to  persude  them  that  sharks  did  not  abound  in 
these  parts,  he  used  the  wisest  plan  of  desiring  those  who 
held  on  by  the  gun-wale,  to  keep  splashing  in  the  water  with 
their  legs,  in  order  to  frighten  the  monsters  at  which  they 
were  so  alarmed.  Once  more  had  hope  began  to  dawn: — 
the  boat  was  clear  to  her  thwarts,  and  four  men  were  in  her 
hard  at  work;  a  little  forbearance  and  a  little  obedience,  and 
they  were  safe.  At  this  moment,  when  those  in  the  water 
urged  their  messmates  in  the  boat  to  continue  bailing  with  un- 
remitted  exertion,  a  noise  was  heard  close  to  them,  and  about 
fifteen  sharks  came  right  in  amongst  therr..  The  panic  was 
ten  times  more  dreadful  than  before;  the  boat  was  again  up- 
set by  the  simultaneous  endeavor  to  escape  the  danger;  and 
the  twenty-two  sailors  were  again  devoted  to  destruction. — 
At  first  the  sharks  did  not  seem  inclined  to  seize  their  prey 
but  swam  in  amongst  the  men,  playing  in  the  water,  some- 
times leaping  about  and  rubbing  against  their  victims.  This 


1'lJE    WRECK'D     SEAMEN  213 

was  of  short  duration,  a  loud  shriek  from  one  of  the  men  an- 
nounced his  sudden  pain;  a  shark  had  seized  him  by  the  leg, 
and  severed  it  entirely  from  the  body.  No  sooner  had  the 
blood  been  tasted  than  the  long  dreaded  attack  took  place;  an- 
other and  another  shriek  proclaimed  a  loss  of  limbs;  some 
were  torn  from  the  boat  to  which  they  vainly  endeavored  to 
cling;  some,  it  was  supposed,  sunk  from  fear  alone;  all  were 
in  dreadful  peril.  Mr.  Smith,  even  now.  when  of  all  horrible 
deaths  the  most  horrible  seemed  to  await  him,  gave  his  orders 
•\\il\i  clearness  and  coolness;  and  to  the  everlasting  honor  of 
the  poor  departed  crew  be  it  known,  they  were  obeyed;  again 
the  boat  was  righted,  and  again  two  mon  were  in  her.  In- 
credible as  it  may  appear,  still,  however,  it  is  true,  that  the 
voice  of  the  officer  was  heard  amidst  the  danger;  and  the 
survivors,  actually  as  before,  clung  to  the  gun-wale,  and  kept 
the  boat  upright.  Mr.  Smith  himself  held  to  the  stern,  and 
cheered  and  applauded  his  men.  The  sharks  had  tasted  the 
blood,  and  were  not  to  be  driven  from  their  feast;  in  one  short 
moment,  when  Mr.  Smith  ceased  splashing  as  he  looked  into 
the  boat  to  watch  the  progress,  a  shark  seized  both  legs,  and 
bit  them  off  just  above  the  knees.  Human  nature  was  not 
strong  enough  to  bear  the  immense  pain  without  a  groan; 
but  Mr.  Smith  endeavored  to  conceal  the  misfortune,  nature, 
true  to  herself,  resisted  the  endeavor,  and  the  groan  was 
deep  and  audible.  The  crew  had  long  respected  their  gallant 
commander;  they  knew  his  worth  and  his  courage: — on  hear- 
ing him  express  his  pain,  and  seeing  him  relinquish  his  hold 
to  sink,  two  of  the  men  grasped  their  dying  officer,  and  placed 
him  in  the  stern  sheets.  Even  now  in  almost  insupportable 
agony,  that  gallant  fellow  forgot  his  own  sufferings,  and 
thought  only  on  rescuing  the  remaining  few  from  the  untimely 
grave  which  awaited  them;  he  told  them  again  of  their  only 
hope,  deplored  their  perilous  state,  and  concluded  with  these 
words;  "  if  any  of  you  survive  this  fatal  night,  and  return  to 
Jamaica,  teil  the  admiral  (Sir  Lawrence  Halstead)  that  I  was 
in  search  of  the  pirate  when  this  lamentable  occurrence  took 
place,  tell  him  I  hope  I  have  always  done  my  duty,  and  that  I — " 
Here  the  endeavor  of  some  of  the  men  to  get  into  the  boat 
gave  her  a  heel  on  one  side;  the  men*Hvho  were  supporting 
Door  Smith  relinquished  him  for  a  moment,  and  he  rolled  over- 
board and  was  drowned.  His  last  bubbling  cry  was  soon  los* 
amidst  the  shrieks  of  his  former  companions,  he  sunk  to  TIM 
no  more. 

At  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  the   Magpie  was  upset  ;    it 


£16  THE   WRECR'D    SEAMEN. 

was  calculated  by  the  two  survivors,  that  their  companions  had 
all  died  by  nine.  The  sharks  seemed  satisfied  for  the  moment, 
and  they,  with  gallant  hearts,  resolved  to  profit  by  the  precious 
time  in  order  to  save  themselves;  they  righted  the  boat,  and 
one  getting  over  the  bows,,  and  the  other  over  the  stern,  they 
found  themselves  although  neany  exhausted,  yet  alive,  and  in 
comparative  security,  they  began  the  work  of  bailing,  and 
soon  lightened  the  boat  sufficiently  not  to  be  easily  upset, 
when  both  set  down  to  rest.  The  return  of  the  sharks  was  a 
signal  for  their  return  to  labor.  The  voracious  monsters  en  , 
deavored  to  upset  the  boat;  they  swam  by  its  side  in  seeming 
anxiety  for  their  prey ,  but  after  waiting  sometime,  they  separat- 
ed; the  two  rescued  seamen,  found  themselves  free  from  their 
insatiable  enemies,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  saved. — 
Tired  as  they  were,  they  continued  their  labor  until  the  boat 
was  nearly  dry,  when  both  lay  down  to  rest,  the  one  forward, 
and  the  other  aft;  so  completely  had  fear  operated  on  their 
minds,  that  they  did  not  dare  even  to  move,  dreading  that  an 
incautious  step  might  have  capsized  the  boat.  They  soon,  in 
spite  of  tne  horrors  they  had  witnessed,  fell  into  a  sound 
sleep,  and  day  had  dawned  before  they  awoke  to  horrible  re- 
flections, and  apparently  worse  dangers.  The  sun  rose  cleai 
and  unclouded;  the  cool  calm  of  the  night  was  followed  by 
the  sultry  calm  of  the  morning,  and  heat,  hunger,  thirst  and 
fatigue,  seemed  to  settle  on  the  unfortunate  men,  recued  by 
Providence  and  their  own  exertions  from  the  jaws  of  a  horri- 
ble death.  They  awoke  and  looked  at  each  other,  the  very 
gaze  of  despair  was  appalling;  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  no 
object  could  be  descerned;  the  bright  haze  of  the  morning 
added  to  the  strong  refraction  of  light;  one  smooth,  intermi- 
nable plain,  one  endless  ocean,  one  cloudless  sky  and  one 
burning  sun,  were  all  they  had  to  gaze  upon.  The  boat  lay 
like  the  ark,  in  a  world  alone!  They  had  no  oar,  no  mast 
and  no  sail,  nothing  but  the  bare  planks  and  themselves,  with- 
out provisions  or  water,  food  or  raiment.  They  lay  upon  the 
calm  ocean,  hopeless,  friendless  and  miserable.  It  was  a 
time  of  intense  anxiety,  their  eyes  rested  upon  each  other  in 
silent  pity,  not  unmixed  with  fear.  Each  knew  the  dreadfu. 
alternative  to  which  nature  would  urge  them.  The  canniba" 
was  already  in  their  looks,  and  fearful  would  have  been  the 
Srst  attack  on  either  side,  for  they  were  both  brave  and  stouf 
men,  and  equals  in  strength  and  courage. 

It  now  being  about  half  past  six  in  the  morning,  the  sun 
was   begining   to  prove  its   burning  power,  the  sea  was   as 


THE  WKECK'D  SEAMEN.  211 

smooth  as  a  looking  glass,  and  saving  now  and  then,  .he  slight 
cat's  paw  of  air,  which  ruffled  the  face  of  the  water  for  a 
few  yards,  all  was  calm  and  hushed.  In  vain  they  strained 
their  eyes,  in  vain  they  turned  from  side  to  side  to  escape  the 
burning  rays  of  the  sun;  they  could  not  sleep,  for  now  anxie- 
ty and  fear  kept  both  vigilant  and  on  their  guard;  they  dared 
not  to  court  sleep,  for  that  might  have  been  the  last  of  mortal 
repose.  Once  they  nearly  quarrelled,  but  fortunately  the  bet' 
ter  feelings  of  humanity  overcame  the  bi  terness  of  despair. 
The  foremost  man  had  long  complained  of  thirst,  and  had 
frequently  dipped  his  hand  into  the  water,  and  sucked  the  fluid; 
this  was  hastily  done,  for  all  the  horrors  of  the  night  were 
still  before  them,  and  not  unfrequently  the  sharp  fin  of  a 
shaik  was  seen  not  very  far  from  the  boat.  In  the  midst  of 
the  excruciating  torments  of  thirst,  heightened  by  the  salt  wa- 
ter, and  the  irritable  temper  of  the  bowman,  as  he  stamped 
his  impatient  feet  against  the  bottom  boards,  and  tore  his  hair 
with  unfeeling  indifference,  he  suddenly  stopped  the  expres- 
sion of  rage  and  called  out — "a  sail!" 

Whilst  they  stood  watching  in  silence  the  approach  of  the 
brig,  which  slowly  made  her  way  through  the  water,  and  at 
the  very  instant  that  they  were  assuring  each  other  that  they 
were  seen,  and  that  the  vessel  was  purposely  steered  on  the 
course  she  was  keeping,  to  reach  them,  the  whole  fabric  of 
hope  was  destroyed  in  a  second;  the  brig  kept  away  about 
three  points,  and  began  to  make  more  sail.  Then  was  it  an 
awful  moment;  their  countenances  saddened  as  they  looked 
at  each  other;  for  in  vain  they  hailed,  in  vain  they  threw  their 
jackets  in  the  air;  it  was  evident  they  had  never  been  seen, 
and  that  the  brig  was  steering  her  proper  course. 

The  time  was  slipping  away,  and  if  once  they  got  abaft  the 
beam  of  the  brig,  every  second  would  lessen  the  chance  of 
being  seen,  besides,  the  sea  breeze  might  come  down,  and 
then  she  would  be  far  away,  and  beyond  all  hope  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour.  Now  was  it,  that  the  man  who  had  been  so  loud- 
ly lamenting  his  fate,  seemed  suddenly  inspired  with  fresh 
hope  and  courage,  he  looked  attentively  at  the  brig,  then  at 
his  companion,  and  said  "by  heaven  I'll  do  it,  or  we  are  lost!* 
"  Do  what?"  said  his  shipmate.  "  Though,"  said  the  first  man, 
"  it  is  no  trifle  to  do,  after  what  we  have  seen  and  known;  yet 
I  will  try,  for  if  she  passes  us,  what  can  we  do?  I  tell  you 
Jack,  I'll  swim  to  her,  if  I  get  safe  to  her,  you  are  saved,  if 
not,  why  I  shall  die  without  adding,  perhaps,  murder  to  my 
crimes  "  "  What!  jump  overboard,  and  leave  me  all  alone!' 
vat.  ii.  10 


218  THE  WRECK'D  SEAMEN. 

replied  his  companion,  "  look,  look  at  that  shark,  wrich  hai 
followed  us  all  night,  why  it  is  only  waiting  for  you  to  get  in- 
to the  water  to  swallow  you,  as  it  did  perhaps  half  of  oui 
messmates;  no,  no,  wait,  do  wait,  perhaps  another  vessel  ma) 
come,  besides,  I  cannot  swim  half  the  dis*ance,  and  I  should 
be  afraid  to  remain  behind,  think,  Tom,  only  think  of  the 
sharks  and  of  last  night." 

He  jumped  overboard  with  as  much  calmness  as  if  he  was 
bathing  in  security.  No  sooner  had  he  began  to  strike  out  in 
the  direction  he  intended,  than  his  companion  turned  towards 
the  sharks.  The  first  had  disappear ed,  and  it  was  evident 
they  had  heard  the  splash,  and  would  soon  follow  their  prey. 
It  is  hard  to  say  who  suffered  the  most  anxiety.  The  one  left 
in  the  boat  cheered  his  companion,  looked  at  the  brig,  and 
kept  waving  his  jacket,  then  turned  to  watch  the  sharks;  his 
horror  may  be  imagined  when  he  saw  three  of  these  terrific 
monsters  swim  past  the  boat,  exactly  in  the  direction  of  his 
companion;  he  splashed  his  jacket  in  the  water  to  scare  them 
away,  but  they  seemed  quite  aware  of  the  impotency  of  the 
attack,  and  lazily  pursued  their  course.  The  man  swam  well 
and  strongly.  There  was  no  doubt  he  would  pass  within 
hail  of  the  brig,  provided  the  sharks  did  not  interfere,  and  he, 
knowing  that  they  would  not  be  long  in  following  him,  kept 
kicking  in  the  water  and  splashing  as  he  swam.  There  is  no 
fish  more  cowardly,  and  yet  more  desperately  savage  than  a 
shark.  I  have  seen  one  harpooned  twice,  with  a  hook  in  his 
jaws,  and  come  again  to  a  fresh  bait,  yet  will  they  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  scared  by  the  smallest  noise,  and  hardly  ever  take 
their  prey  without  it  is  quite  still.  Generally  speaking,  any 
place  surrounded  by  rocks  where  the  surf  breaks,  although 
there  may  be  no  passage  for  a  ship,  will  be  secure  from  sharks. 
It  was  not  until  a  great  distance  had  been  accomplished,  that 
the  swimmer  became  apprized  of  his  danger,  and  saw  by  his 
side  one  of  the  terrific  creatures;  still  however,  he  bravely 
swam  and  kicked,  his  mind  was  made  up  for  the  worst,  and  he 
bad  little  hope  of  success.  In  the  meantime  the  breeze  had 
gradually  freshened,  and  the  brig  passed  with  greater  velocity 
through  the  water;  every  stitch  of  canvas  was  spread.  To 
the  poor  swimmer  the  sails  seemed  bursting  with  the  breeze, 
and  as  he  used  his  utmost  endeavor  to  propel  himself  so  as  to 
cut  off  the  vessel,  the  spray  appeared  to  dash  from  the  bow 
and  the  brig  to  fly  through  the  sea.  He  was  now  close 
enough  to  hope  his  voice  might  be  heard;  but  he  hailed  and 
hailed  in  vain,  not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen  on  deck;  the  man 


ADTE?mniE3    OF    PHILIP    ASHTOS. 

who  steered  was  too  intent  upon  his  avocation  to  listen  to  the 
call  of  mercy.  The  brig  passed.,  and  the  swimmer  was  every 
second  getting  further  in  the  distance,  every  hope  was  gone, 
not  a  ray  ot  that  bright  divinity  remained;  the  fatigue  had 
nearly  exhausted  him,  and  the  sharks  only  waited  for  the  first 
quiet  moment  to  swallow  their  victim.  It  was  in  vain  he 
thought  of  returning  towards  the  boat,  for  he  never  could 
have  reached  her,  and  his  companion  had  no  means  of  assist- 
ing him.  In  the  act  of  offering  up  his  last  prayer  ere  he 
made  UD  his  mind  to  float  and  be  eaten,  he  saw  a  man  looking 
over  the  quarter  of  the  brig;  he  raised  both  his  hands,  he 
jumped  himself  up  in  the  water,  and  by  the  singularity  of  his 
motions,  fortunately  attracted  notice.  A  telescope  soon  made 
clear  the  object;  the  brig  was  hove  to,  a  boat  sent,  and  the 
man  saved.  The  attention  of  the  crew  was  then  awakened 
to  the  Magpie's  boat;  she  was  soon  alongside,  and  thus  through 
the  bold  exertions  of  as  gallant  a  fellow  as  ever  breathed,  both 
were  rescued  from  their  perilous  situation. 


ADVENTURES  OF  PHILIP  ASHTOJN, 

WHO,  AFTER    ESCAPING  FROM    PIRATES,  LIVED  SIXTEEN   MONTHS 
IN    SOLITUDE    ON    A    DESOLATE    ISLAND. 

On  Friday  the  15th  of  June  1722,  after  being  out  some 
time  in  a  schooner  with -four  men  and  a  hoy,  off  Cape  Sable, 
1  stood  in  for  Port  Rossaway,  designing  to  lie  there  all  Sun- 
day. Having  arrived  about  four  in  the  afternoon,  we  saw, 
among  other  vessels  which  had  reached  the  port  before  us,  a 
brigantine  supposed  to  be  inward  bound  from  the  West  Indies. 
After  remaining  three  or  four  hours  at  anchor,  a  boat  from  the 
brigantine  came  alongside,  with  four  hands,  who  leapt  on 
deck,  and  suddenly  drawing  out  pistols,  and  brandishing  cut- 
lasses, demanded  the  surrender  both  of  ourselves  and  our 
vessel.  All  remonstrance  was  vain  ;  nor  indeed,  had  we 
known  who  they  were  before  boarding  us,  could  we  have 
made  any  effectual  resistance,  being  only  five  men  and 


220  ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASHTO.V. 

a  boy,  and  were  thus  under  the  necessity  of  submitting  at  dis- 
cretion. We  were  not  single  in  misfortune,  as  thirteen  or 
fourteen  fishing-vessels  were  in  like  manner  surprised  the 
same  evening. 

When  carried  on  board  the  brigantine-,  T  found  myself  in 
the  hands  of  JNed  Low,  an  infamous  pirate,  whose  vessel  had 
two  great  guns,  four  swivels,  and  about  forty-two  men.  I  was 
strongly  urged  to  sign  the  articles  of  agreement  among  the 
pirates,  and  to  join  their  number,  which  I  steadily  refused, 
and  suffered  much  bad  usage  in  consequence.  At  length 
being  conducted,  along  with  five  of  the  prisoners,  to  the 
quaiter-deck,  Low  came  up  to  us  with  pistols  in  his  hand,  and 
loudly  demanded,  "  Are  any  of  you  married  men  ?"  This  un- 
expected question,  added  to  the  sight  of  the  pistols,  struck  us 
all  speechless  ;  we  were  alarmed  lest  there  was  some  secret 
meaning  in  his  words,  and  that  he  would  proceed  to  extrem- 
ities, therefore  none  could  reply.  Tn  a  violent  passion  he 
cocked  a  pistol,  and  clapping  it  to  my  head,  cried  out,  "  You 
dog,  why  don't  you  answer  ?"  swearing  vehemently  at  the 
same  time  that  he  would  shoot  me  through  the  head.  I  was 
sutliciently  terrified  by  his  threats  and  fierceness,  but  rather 
than  lose  my  life  in  so  trifling  a  matter,  I  ventured  to  pro- 
nounce, as  loud  as  I  durst  speak,  that  I  was  not  married. 
Hereupon  he  seemed  to  be  somewhat  pacified,  and  turned 
away. 

It  appeared  that  Low  was  resolved  to  take  no  married  men 
whatever,  which  often  seemed  surprising  to  me  until  I  had 
been  a  considerable  time  with  him.  But  his  own  wife  had 
died  lately  before  he  became  a  pirate  ;  and  he  had  a  young 
child  at  Boston,  for  whom  he  entertained  such  tenderness,  on 
every  lucid  interval  from  drinking  and  revelling,  that,  on  men- 
tioning it,  1  have  seen  him  sit  down  and  weep  plentifully. 
Thus  I  concluded,  that  his  reason  for  taking  only  single  men, 
was  probably,  that  they  might  have  no  ties,  such  as  wives  and 
children,  to  divert  them  from  his  service,  and  render  them  de- 
sirous of  returning  home. 

The  pirates  finding  force  of  no  avail  in  compelling  us  to 
join  them,  began  to  use  persuasion  instead  of  it.  They  tried 
to  flatter  me  into  compliance,  by  setting  before  me  the  share 
I  should  have  in  their  spoils,  and  the  riches  which  I  should 
become  master  of;  and  all  the  time  eagerly  importuned  me 
to  drink  along  with  them.  But  I  still  continued  to  resist 
their  proposals,  whereupon  Low,  with  equal  fury  as  before, 
threatened  to  shoot  me  through  the  head  ;  and  though  I  ear 


ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASHTON.  22] 

ttestly  entreated  my  release,  he  and  his  people  wrote  my  name, 
and  that  of  my  companions,  in  their  books. 

On  tl  e  19th  of  June,  the  pirates  changed  the  privateer,  as 
they  called  their  vessel,  and  went  into  a  new  schooner  he- 
longing  to  Marblehead,  which  they  had  captured.  They  then 
put  all  the  prisoners,  whom  they  designed  sending  home,  on 
board  of  the  brigantine,  and  sent  her  to  Boston,  which  induc- 
ed me  to  make  another  unsuccessful  attempt  for  liberty  ;  but 
though  I  fell  on  my  knees  to  Low,  he  refused  to  let  me  go  : 
thus  I  saw  the  brigantine  depart,  with  the  whole  captives,  ex- 
cepting myself  and  seven  more. 

Very  short  time  before  she  departed,  I  had  nearly  effected 
my  escape  ;  for  a  dog  belonging  to  Low  being  accidentally 
left  on  shore,  he  ordered  some  hands  into  a  boat  to  bring  it  off. 
Thereupon  two  young  men,  captives,  both  belonging  to  Mar- 
blehead, readily  leapt  into  the  boat,  and  I  considering,  that  if 
I  could  once  get  on  shore,  means  might  be  found  of  effecting 
my  escape,  endeavored  to  go  along  with  them  But  the 
quarter-master,  called  Russell,  catching  hold  of  my  shoulder, 
drew  me  back.  As  the  young  men  did  not  return,  bethought 
I  was  privy  to  their  plot,  and,  with  the  most  outrageous  oaths, 
snapped  his  pistol,  on  my  denying  all  knowledge  of  it.  The 
pistol  missing  fire,  however,  only  served  to  enrage  him  the 
more  :  he  snapped  it  three  times  again,  and  as  often  it  missed 
fire  ;  on  which  he  held  it  overboard,  and  then  it  went  off.  Rus- 
sel  on  this  drew  his  cutlass,  and  was  about  to  attack  me  in 
the  utmost  fury,  when  I  leapt  down  into  the  hold  and  saved 
myself. 

Off  St.  Michael's  the  pirates  took  a  large  Portuguese  pink, 
laden  with  wheat,  coming  out  of  the  road  ;  and  being  a  good 
sailor,  and  carrying  14  guns,  transferred  their  company  into 
her.  It  afterwards  became  necessary  to  careen  her,  whence 
they  made  three  islands,  called  Triangles,  lying  about  40 
leagues  to  the  eastward  of  Surinam. 

In  heaving  down  the  pink,  Low  had  ordered  so  many  men 
to  the  shrouds  and  yards,  that  the  ports,  by  her  heeling,  got 
under  water,  and  the  sea  rushing  in,  she  overset  :  he  and  the 
doctor  were  then  in  the  cabin,  and  as  soon  as  he  observed  the 
water  gushing  in,  he  leaped  out  of  the  stern  port,  while  the 
doctor  attempted  to  follow  him.  But  the  violence  of  the  sea 
repulsed  the  latter,  and  he  was  forced  back  into  the  cabin. 
Low,  however,  contrived  to  thrust  his  arm  into  the  port,  ano 
dragging  him  out,  sa~ed  his  life.  Meanwhile,  the  vessel  com- 


ADVENTURES    OP    PHILIP    ASHTON. 

pletcly  overset.     Her  keel  turned  out  of  the  water  ;  but  as  the 
hull  filled,  she  sunk,  in  the  depth  of  about  six  fathoms. 

The  yard-arms  striking  the  ground,  forced  the  masts  some- 
what above  the  water  ;  as  the  ship  overset,  the  people  got 
from  the  shrouds  and  yards,  upon  the  hull,  and  as  the  hull 
went  down,  they  again  resorted  to  the  rigging,  rising  a  little 
out  of  the  sea. 

Being  an  indifferent  swimmer,  I  was  reduced  to  great  ex- 
tremity ;  for,  along  with  other  light  lads,  I  had  been  sent  up 
to  the  main-top-gallant  yard  ;  and  the  people  of  a  boat,  who 
were  now  occupied  in  preserving  the  men  refusing  to  take  me 
in,  I  was  compelled  to  attempt  reaching  the  buoy.  This  I 
luckily  accomplished,  and  as  it  was  large  secured  myself  there 
until  the  boat  approached.  I  once  more  requested  the  people 
to  take  me  in,  but  they  still  refused,  as  the  boat  was  full.  I 
was  uncertain  whether  they  designed  leaving  me  to  perish  in 
this  situation :  however,  the  boat  being  deeply  laden,  made 
way  very  slowly,  and  one  of  my  comrades,  captured  at  the 
same  time  with  myself,  calling  to  me  to  forsake  the  buoy  and 
swim  towards  her,  I  assented,  and  reaching  the  boat,  he  drew 
me  on  board.  Two  men,  John  Bell,  and  Zana  Gourdon, 
were  lost  in  the  p'.ik. 

Though  the  schooner  in  company  was  very  near  at  hand, 
her  people  were  employed  mending  their  sails  under  an  awn- 
ing, and  knew  nothing  of  the  accident  until  the  boat  full  of 
men,  got  alongside. 

The  pirates  having  thus  lost  their  principal  vessel,  and  the 
greatest  part  of  their  provisions  and  water,  were  reduced  to 
great  extremities  for  want  of  the  latter.  They  were  unable  to 
get  a  supply  at  the  Triangles,  nor  on  account  of  calms  and 
currents,  could  they  make  the  island  of  Tobago.  Thus  they 
were  forced  to  stand  for  Grenada,  which  they  reached,  after 
being  on  short  allowance  for  sixteen  days  together 

Grenada  was  a  French  settlement,  and  Low,  on  arriving, 
after  having  sent  all  his  men,  except  a  sufficient  number  to 
manffiuvre  the  vessel,  below,  said  he  was  from  Barbadoes  ; 
that  he  had  lost  the  water  on  board,  and  was  obliged  to  put  in 
here  for  a  supply. 

The  people  entertained  no  suspicion  of  his  being  a  pirate, 
but  afterwards  supposing  him  a  smuggler,  thought  it  a  good 
opportunity  to  make  a  prize  of  his  vessel.  Next  day,  there- 
fore, they  equipped  a  large  sloop  of  70  tons,  and  four  guns, 
with  about  30  hands,  as  sufficient  for  the  capture,  and  came 
fclurigside,  while  Low  was  quite  unsuspicious  of  their  design 


ADVENTURES    OP    PHILIP    ASHTOff  933 

Bi  t  !.his  being  evidently  betrayed  by  their  number  and  actions, 
he  quickly  called  90  men  on  deck,  and,  having  8  guns  mount- 
rd,  the  French  sloop  became  an  easy  prey. 

Provided  with  these  two  vessels,  the  pirates  cruised  about 
in  me  West  Indies,  taking  seven  or  eight  prizes,  and  at  length 
an  ive<i  at  the  island  of  Santa  Cruz,  where  they  captured  two 
moie.  While  lying  there,  Low  thought  he  stood  in  need  of  a 
medicine  chest,  and,  in  order  to  procure  one,  sent  four  French 
men,  in  a  vessel  he  had  taken,  to  St.  Thomas's,  about  twelve 
leagues  distant,  with  money  to  purchase  it ;  promising  them 
liberty,  and  the  return  of  all  their  vessels,  for  the  service. 
But  he  declared  at  the  same  time,  if  it  proved  otherwise, 
he  would  kill  the  rest  of  the  men,  and  burn  the  vessels.  In 
little  mo'e  than  twenty-four  hours,  the  Frenchmen  returned 
with  the  object  of  their  mission,  and  Low  punctually  perform- 
ed his  promise  by  restoring  the  vessels. 

Having  sailed  for  the  Spanish  American  settlements,  the 
pirates  descried  two  large  ships,  about  half  way  between  Car- 
thigena  and  Portobello,  which  proved  to  be  the  Mermaid,  an 
Kr^1  :-.li  man-of-war,  and  a  Guineaman.  They  approached  in 
chase  t.ntil  discovering  the  man-of-war's  great  range  of  teeth, 
when  they  immediately  put  about,  and  made  the  best  of  their 
'vay  off.  The  man-of-war  then  commenced  the  pursuit,  and 
gained  upon  them  apace,  and  I  confess  that  my  terrors  were 
now  equal  to  any  that  I  had  previously  suffered  ;  for  I  con- 
cluded that  we  should  certainly  be  taken,  and  that  I  should  no 
less  certainly  be  hanged  for  company's  sake  :  so  true  are  the 
words  of  Solomon,  "  A  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed." 
But  the  two  pirate  vessels  finding  themselves  outsailed,  sepa- 
rated, and  Farrington  Spriggs,  who  commanded  the  schooner 
in  which  I  was,  stood  in  for  the  shore.  The  Mermaid  observ- 
ing the  sloop  with  Low  himself  to  be  the  larger  of  the  two, 
crowded  all  sail,  and  continued  gaining  still  more,  indeed  un- 
til her  shot  flew  over  ;  but  one  of  the  sloop's  crew  shewed  Lovr 
a  shoal,  which  he  could  pass,  and  in  the  pursuit  the  rnan-of- 
war  grounded.  Thus  the  pirates  escaped  hanging  on  tin* 
occasion. 

Spriggs  and  one  of  his  chosen  companions  dreading  the 
consequences  of  being  captured  and  brought  to  justice,  laid 
their  pistols  beside  them  in  the  interval,  and  pledging  a  mu- 
tual oath  in  a  bumpei  of  liquor,  swore,  if  they  saw  no  possibil- 
ity of  escape,  to  set  foot  to  foot,  and  blow  out  each  other'i 
brains.  But  standing  towards  the  shore,  they  made  Pickeroon 
Bay,  and  escaped  the  danger 


424  ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASHTON. 

Next  we  repaired  to  a  small  island  called  Utilla,  about 
seven  or  eight  leagues  to  leeward  ot  the  island  of  Rnatan.  in 
the  Bay  of  Honduras,  where  the  bottom  of  the  schooner  was 
cleaned.  There  were  now  twenty-two  persons  on  board,  and 
eight  of  us  engaged  in  a  plot  to  overpower  our  masters,  and 
make  our  escape.  Spriggs  proposed  sailing  for  New  England, 
in  quest  cf  provisions,  and  to  increase  hit,  company  ;  and  we 
intended  on  approaching  the  coast,  when  the  rest  had  indul- 
ged freely  in  liquor,  and  fallen  sound  asleep,  to  secure  their 
under  the  hatches,  and  then  deliver  ourselves  up  to  govern 
ment. 

Although  our  plot  was  carried  on  with  all  possible  privacy, 
Spriggs  had  somehow  or  other  got  intelligence  of  it  ;  and 
having  fallen  in  with  Low  on  the  voyage,  went  on  board  his 
ship  to  make  a  furious  declaration  against  us.  But  Low  made 
little  account  of  his  information,  otherwise  it  might  have  been 
fatal  to  most  of  our  number.  Spriggs,  however,  returned 
raging  to  the  schooner,  exclaiming,  that  four  of  us  should  go 
forward  to  be  shot,  and  to  me  in  particular  he  said,  "  You  dog 
Ashton,  you  deserve  to  be  hanged  up  at  the  yard-arm  for  de- 
signing to  cut  us  off.  '  I  replied,  "  that  I  had  no  intention  of 
injuring  any  man  on  board  ;  but.  I  should  be  glad  if  they  would 
allow  me  to  go  away  quietly."  At  length  this  flame  was 
quenched,  and,  through  the  goodness  of  God,  I  escaped  de- 
struction. 

Roatan  harbour,  as  all  about  the  Bay  of  Honduras,  is  full 
of  small  islands,  which  pass  under  the  general  name  of  Keys  ; 
and  having  got  in  here,  Low,  with  some  of  his  chief  men, 
landed  on  a  small  island,  which  they  called  Port  Royal  Key. 
There  they  erected  huts,  and  continued  carousing,  drinking, 
and  firing,  while  the  different  vessels,  of  which  they  now  had 
possession,  were  repairing. 

On  Saturday  the  9th  of  March  1723,  the  cooper,  with  six 
nands,  in  the  long-boat,  was  going  ashore  for  water  ;  and  com- 
ing alongside  of  the  schooner,  I  requested  to  be  of  the  parly. 
Seeing  him  hesitate,  I  urged  that  I  had  never  hitherto  been 
ashore,  and  thought  it  hard  to  be  so  closely  confined,  when 
every  one  besides  had  the  liberty  of  landing  as  there  was  oc- 
casion. Low  had  before  told  me,  on  requesting  to  be  sent 
away  in  some  of  the  captured  vessels  which  he  dismissed,  that 
I  should  go  home  when  he  did,  and  swore  that  I  should  never 
previously  set  my  foot  on  land.  But  now  I  considered,  if  I 
could  possibly  once  get  on  terra  firma,  though  in  ever  such 
bad  circumstances,  I  should  account  it  a  happy  deliverance, 
and  resolved  never  to  embark  again. 


ADVFVTTTRKS    OP    Pit  I  UP    ASHTON.  225 

The  cooper  at  length  took  me  into  the  long-boat,  while  Low, 
and  his  chief  people,  were  on  a  different  island  from  K  >atun, 
whore  the  watering  place  lay  ;  my  only  clothing  was  an  Osna- 
burgh  frock  and  trowsers,  a  milled  cap,  but  neither  shirt, 
shoes,  stockings,  nor  any  thing  else. 

\Vhen  we  first  landed,  I  was  very  active  in  assisting  to  get 
the  casks  out  of  the  boat,  and  in  rolling  them  to  the  watering- 
place.  Then  taking  a  hearty  draught  of  water,  I  strolled 
along  the  beach,  picking  up  stones  and  shells  ;  but  on  reach- 
ing the  distance  of  a  musket-shot  from  the  party,  I  began  to 
withdraw  towards  the  skirts  of  the  woods.  In  answer  to  a 
question  by  the  cooper  of  whither  I  was  going  ?  I  replied, 
"  for  cocoa  nuts,  as  some  cocoa  trees  were  just  before  me  ;" 
and  as  soon  as  1  was  out  of  sight  of  my  companions,  I  took  to 
my  heels,  running  as  fast  as  the  thickness  of  the  bushes  and 
my  naked  feet  would  admit.  Notwithstanding  I  had  got  a 
considerable  way  into  the  woods,  I  was  still  so  near  as  to  hear 
the  voices  of  the  party  if  they  spoke  loud,  and  I  lay  close  in  a 
thicket  where  I  knew  they  could  not  find  me. 

Alter  my  comrades  had  filled  their  casks,  and  were  about  to 
depart,  the  cooper  called  on  me  to  accompany  them  ;  how- 
ever, I  lay  snug  in  the  thicket,  and  gave  him  no  answer, 
though  his  words  were  plain  enough.  At  length,  after  hal- 
looing loudly,  I  could  hear  them  say  to  one  another,  "  The 
dog  is  lost  in  the  woods,  and  cannot  find  the  way  out  again  ;" 
then  they  hallooed  once  more,  and  cried  "  he  has  run  away 
and  wont  come  to  us  ;"  and  the  cooper  observed,  that,  had  he 
known  my  intention,  he  would  not  have  brought  me  ashore. 
Satisfied  of  their  inability  to  find  me  among  the  trees  and 
bushes,  the  cooper  at  last,  to  show  his  kindness,  exclaimed, 
"  If  you  do  not  come  away  presently,  I  shall  go  off  and  leave 
you  alone."  Nothing,  however,  could  induce  me  to  discover 
myself;  and  my  comrades  seeing  it  vain  to  wait  any  longer, 
put  off  without  me. 

Thus  I  was  left  on  a  desolate  island,  destitute  of  all  help, 
and  remote  from  the  track  of  navigators  ;  but  compared  with 
the  state  and  society  I  had  quitted,  I  considered  the  wilder 
ness  hospitable,  and  the  solitude  interesting. 

AVhen  I  thought  the  whole  were  gone,  I  emerged  from  my 
th'cket,  and  came  down  to  a  small  run  of  water,  about  a  mile 
from  the  place  where  our  casks  were  filled,  and  there  sat 
down  to  observe  the  proceedings  of  the  pirates.  To  my  great 
joy,  in  five  days  their  vessels  sailed,  and  I  saw  the  schooner 
part  from  them  to  shape  a  different  course. 
VOL  n.  10* 


226  ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASHTON 

I  then  began  to  reflect  on  myself  and  my  present  condition 
1  was  on  an  island  which  I  had  no  means  of  leaving ;  1  knew 
'  of  no  human  being  within  many  miles  ;  my  clothing  waa 
scanty,  and  it  was  impossible  to  procure  a  supply.  1  was  al- 
together destitute  of  provision,  nor  could  tell  how  my  life  was 
to  be  supported.  This  melancholy  prospect  drew  a  copious 
flood  of  tears  from  my  eyes  ;  but  as  it  had  pleased  God  to 
grant  my  wishes  in  being  liberated  from  those  whose  occupa- 
tion was  devising  mischief  against  their  neighbors,  I  resolved 
to  account  every  hardship  light.  Yet  Low  would  never  suffer 
his  men  to  work  on  the  Sabbath,  which  was  more  devoted  to 
play  ;  and  I  have  even  seen  some  of  them  sit  down  to  read  in 
a  good  book. 

In  order  to  ascertain  how  I  was  to  live  in  time  to  come,  I  be- 
gan to  range  over  the  island,  which  proved  ten  or  eleven 
leagues  long,  and  lay  in  about  16  deg  north  latitude.  But  I 
soon  found  that  my  only  companions  would  be  the  beasts  of 
the  earth,  and  fowls  of  the  air  ;  for  there  were  no  indications 
of  any  habitations  on  the  island,  though  every  now  and  then  I 
found  some  shreds  of  earthen  ware  scattered  in  a  lime  walk, 
said  by  some  to  be  the  remains  of  Indians  formerly  dwelling 
here. 

The  island  was  well  watered,  full  of  high  hills  and  deep 
vallies.  Numerous  fruit  trees,  such  as  figs,  vines,  and  cocoa- 
nuts  are  found  in  the  latter  ;  and  I  found  a  kind  larger  than 
an  orange,  oval-shaped,  of  a  brownish  color  without,  and  red 
within  Though  many  of  these  had  fallen  under  the  trees,  I 
could  not  venture  to  take  them,  until  I  saw  the  wild  hogs  feed- 
ing with  safety,  and  then  I  found  them  very  delicious  fruit. 

Stores  of  provisions  abounded  here,  though  I  could  avail  my- 
self of  nothing  but  the  fruit  ;  for  I  had  no  knife  or  iron  imple- 
ment, either  to  cut  up  a  tortoise  on  turning  it,  or  weapons 
wherewith  to  kill  animals  ;  nor  had  I  any  means  of  making  a 
fire  to  cook  my  capture,  even  if  I  were  successful. 

Sometimes  I  entertained  thoughts  of  digging  pits,  and  cover- 
ing them  over  with  small  branches  of  trees,  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  hogs  or  deer  ;  but  I  wanted  a  shovel  and  every  sub- 
stitute for  the  purpose,  and  I  was  soon  convinced  that  my 
hands  were  in  sufficient  to  make  a  cavity  deep  enough  to  retain 
what  should  fall  into  it.  Thus  I  was  forced  to  rest  satisfied 
with  fruit,  which  was  to  be  esteemed  very  good  provision  for 
any  one  in  my  condition. 

In  process  of  time,  while  poking  among  the  sand  with  a  stick, 
in  quest  of  tortoise  eggs,  which  1  had  heard  were  laid  in  the 


ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASHT»)N.  821 

sand,  part  of  one  came  up  adhering  to  it ;  and,  on  removing 
the  sand,  I  found  nearly  an  hundred  and  fifty,  which  had  not 
lain  long  enough  to  spoil.  Therefore,  taking  some,  I  ate  them, 
and  strung  others  on  a  strip  of  palmeto,  which  being  hung  up 
in  the  sun,  became  thick  and  somewhat  hard  ;  so  that  they 
were  more  palatable.  After  all,  they  were  not  very  savoury 
food,  though  one,  who  had  nothing  but  what  fell  from  the  trees, 
behoved  to  be  content.  Tortoises  lay  their  eggs  in  the  sand, 
in  holes  about  a  foot  or  a  foot  and  a  half  deep,  and  smooth  the 
surface  over  them,  so  that  there  is  no  discovering  where  they 
lie.  According  to  the  best  of  my  observation,  the  young  are 
hatched  in  eighteen  or  twenty  days,  and  then  immediately  take 
to  the  water 

Many  serpents  are  on  this  and  the  adjacent  islands  ;  one, 
about  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  long,  is  as  large  as  a  man's  waist, 
but  not  poisonous.  AVhen  lying  at  length,  they  look  like 
old  trunks  of  trees,  covered  with  short  moss,  though  they 
usually  assume  a  circular  position.  The  first  time  I  saw  one 
of  these  serpents,  I  had  approached  very  near  before  discover- 
ing it  to  be  a  living  creature  ;  it  opened  its  mouth  wide 
enough  to  have  received  a  hat,  and  breathed  on  me.  A  small 
black  fly  creates  such  annoyance,  that  even  if  a  person  pos- 
sessed ever  so  many  comforts,  his  life  would  be  oppressive  to 
him,  unless  for  the  possibility  of  retiring  to  some  small  quay, 
destitute  of  wood  and  bushes,  where  multitudes  are  dispersed 
by  the  wind. 

To  this  place  then  was  I  confined  during  nine  months,  with- 
out seeing  a  human  being.  One  day  after  another  was  lin- 
gered out,  1  know  not  how,  void  of  occupation  or  amusement, 
except  collecting  food,  rambling  from  hill  to  hill,  and  from 
island  to  island,  and  gazing  on  sky  and  water.  Although  my 
mind  was  occupied  by  many  regrets,  I  had  the  reflection  that 
I  was  lawfully  employed  when  taken,  so  that  I  had  no  hand  in 
bringing  misery  on  myself:  I  was  also  comforted  to  think  that 
I  had  the  approbation  and  consent  of  my  parents  in  going  to 
sea,  and  trusted  that  it  would  please  God,  in  his  own  time  and 
manner,  to  provide  for  my  return  to  my  father's  house.  There- 
fore; I  resolved  to  submit  patiently  to  my  misfortune. 

It  was  my  daily  practice  to  ramble  from  one  part  of  the  isl- 
and to  another,  though  I  had  a  more  special  home  near  the 
water-side.  Here  I  built  a  hut  to  defend  me  against  the  heat 
of  the  sun  by  day,  and  the  heavy  dews  by  night.  Taking 
some  of  the  best  branches  which  I  could  find  fallen  from  the 
trees,  I  contrived  to  fix  them  against  a  low  hanging  bough,  by 


S28  ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASIITON. 

fastening  them  together  with  split  palmeto  leaves  j  next  1 
covered  the  whole  with  some  of  the  largest  and  most  suitable 
leaves  that  I  could  get.  Many  of  these  huts  were  construct- 
ed by  me,  generally  near  the  beach,  with  the  open  part,  front 
.ng  the  sea,  to  have  the  better  look  out,  and  the  advantage  ol 
.he  sea-breeze,  which  both  the  heat  and  the  vermin  re- 
quired. 

But  the  insects  were  so  troublesome,  that  I  thought  of  en- 
deavoring to  get  over  to  some  of  the  adjacent  keys,  in  hopea 
of  enjoying  rest.  However,  I  was,  as  already  said,  a  very 
indifferent  swimmer  ;  I  had  no  canoe,  nor  any  means  of  mak- 
ing one.  At  length,  having  got  a  piece  of  bamboo,  which  is 
hollow  like  a  reed,  and  light  as  cork,  I  ventured,  after  fre- 
quent trials  with  it  under  my  breast  and  arms,  to  put  oil'  for  a 
small  key  about  a  gun-shot  distant,  which  I  reached  in 
safety. 

My  new  place  of  refuge  was  only  about  three  or  four  hun- 
dred feet  in  circuit,  lying  very  low,  and  clear  of  woods  and 
brush  ;  from  exposure  to  the  wind,  it  was  quite  free  of  ver- 
min, and  I  seemed  to  have  got  into  a  new  world,  where  I  lived 
infinitely  more  at  ease.  Hither  I  retired,  therefore,  when  the 
heat  of  the  day  rendered  the  insect  tribe  most  obnoxious  ;  yet 
I  was  obliged  to  be  much  on  Roatan,  to  procure  food  and 
water,  and  at  night  on  account  of  my  hut. 

When  swimming  back  and  forward  between  the  two  islands, 
I  used  to  bind  my  frock  and  trowsers  about  my  head,  and,  if 
I  could  have  carried  over  wood  and  leaves,  whereof  to  make 
a  hut,  with  equal  facility,  I  should  have  passed  more  of  my 
time  on  the  smaller  one. 

Yet  these  excursions  were  not  unattended  with  danger 
Once,  I  remember,  when,  passing  from  the  larger  island,  the 
bamboo,  before  I  was  aware,  slipped  from  under  me  ;  and  the 
tide,  or  current,  set  down  so  strong,  that  it  was  with  great  dif- 
ficulty I  could  reach  the  shore.  At  another  time,  when  swim- 
ming over  to  the  small  island,  a  shovel-nosed  shark,  which,  as 
well  as  alligators,  abound  in  those  seas,  struck  me  in  the  thigh, 
just  as  my  foot  could  reach  the  bottom,  and  grounded  itself, 
from  the  shallowness  of  the  water,  as  I  suppose,  so  that  its 
moutu  could  not  get  round  towards  me.  Tl>e  blow  I  felt  some 
hours  after  making  the  shore.  By  repeated  practice,  I  at 
length  became  a  pretty  dexterous  swimmer,  and  amused 
myself  by  passing  from  one  island  to  another,  among  the 
keys. 

I  suffered  very  much  from  being  barefoot ;  so  many  deep 


ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASHTON.  $29 

wounas  were  made  in  my  feet  from  traversing  the  wocds,  where 
the  ground  was  covered  with  sticks  and  stones,  and  on  the  hot 
beach,  over  sharp  hroken  shells,  that  I  was  scarce  able  to 
walk  at  all.  Often,  when  treading  with  all  possible  caution,  a 
stone  or  shell  on  the  beach,  or  a  pointed  stick  in  the  woods, 
would  penetrate  the  old  wound,  and  the  extreme  anguish 
would  strike  me  down  as  suddenly  as  if  I  had  been  shot. 
Then  I  would  remain,  for  hours  together,  with  tears  gushing 
from  rny  eyes,  from  the  acuteness  of  the  pain.  I  could  travel 
no  more  than  absolute  necessity  compelled  me,  in  quest  of  sub 
sistence  ;  and  I  have  sat,  my  back  leaning  against  a  tree,  look- 
ing out  for  a  vessel  during  a  complete  day. 

Once,  while  faint  from  such  injures,  as  well  as  smarting 
under  the  pain  of  them,  a  wild  boar  rushed  towards  me.  1 
knew  not  what  to  do,  for  I  had  not  strength  to  resist  his  at- 
tack ;  therefore,  as  he  drew  nearer,  I  caught  the  bough  of  a 
tree,  and  suspended  myself  by  means  of  it.  The  boar  tore 
away  part  of  my  ragged  trowsers  with  his  tusks,  and  then  left 
me.  This,  I  think,  was  the  only  time  that  I  was  attacked  by 
any  wild  beast,  and  I  considered  myself  to  have  had  a  very 
great  deliverance. 

As  my  weakness  continued  to  increase,  1  often  fell  to  the 
ground  insensible,  and  then,  as  also  when  I  laid  myself  to 
sleep,  I  thought  I  should  never  awake  again,  or  rise  in  life 
Under  this  alHiction  I  first  lost  count  of  the  days  of  the  week  ; 
I  could  not  distinguish  Sunday,  and,  as  my  illness  became 
more  aggravated,  1  bedarne  ignorant  of  the  month  also. 

All  this  time  1  had  no  healing  balsam  for  my  feet,  nor  any 
cordial  to  revive  my  drooping  spirits.  My  utmost  efforts  could 
only  now  and  then  procure  some  figs  and  grapes.  Neither  had 
I  fire  ;  for,  though  I  had  heard  of  a  way  to  procure  it  by  rub- 
bing two  sticks  together,  my  attempts  in  this  respect,  con- 
tinued until  I  was  tired,  proved  abortive.  The  rains  having 
come  on,  attended  with  chill  winds,  I  suffered  exceedingly. 

While  passing  nine  months  in  this  lonely,  melancholy,  and 
jksome  condition,  my  thoughts  would  sometimes  wander  to 
my  parents  ;  and  I  reflected,  that,  notwithstanding  it  would 
be  c  xisolatory  to  myself  if  they  knew  where  I  was,  it  might 
be  distressing  to  them.  The  nearer  my  prospect  of  death, 
which  I  often  expected,  the  greater  my  penitence  became. 

Sometime  in  November  1723,  I  descried  a  small  canoe  ap- 
proaching with  a  single  man  ;  but  the  sight  excited  little  emo- 
tion. I  kept  my  seat  on  the  beach,  thinking  I  could  not  ex- 
pect a  friend,  and  knowing  that  I  had  no  enemy  to  fear,  not 


230  ADTZKTUKES  OF    PHILIP    ABHTOI* 

was  I  capable  of  resisting  one.  As  the  man  approached,  he 
betrayed  many  sig:is  of  surprise  ;  he  called  me  to  him,  and  I 
told  him  he  might  safely  venture  ashore,  for  I  was  akine,  and 
almost  expiring.  Coming  close  up,  he  knew  not  what  to  make 
of  me  ;  my  garb  and  countenance  seemed  so  singular,  that  he 
looked  wild  with  astonishment.  He  started  hack  a  little,  and 
surveyed  me  more  thoroughly  ;  but,  recovering  himself  again, 
ca-rr.e  forward,  and,  taking  me  by  the  hand,  expressed  his  sat- 
isfaction at  seeing  me. 

This  stranger  proved  to  be  a  native  of  North  Britain  ;  ho 
was  well  advanced  in  years,  of  a  grave  and  venerable  aspect, 
and  of  a  reserved  temper.  His  name  I  never  knew,  l.e  did 
not  disclose  it,  and  I  had  not  inquired  during  the  period  of  our 
acquaintance.  But  he  informed  me  he  had  lived  twenty-two 
years  with  the  Spaniards  who  now  threatened  to  burn  him, 
though  1  know  not  for  what  crime  ;  therefore  he  had  fled 
hither  as  a  sanctuary,  bringing  his  dog,  gun,  and  ammunition, 
as  also  a  small  quantity  of  pork,  along  with  him.  He  design- 
ed spending  the  remainder  of  his  days  on  the  island,  where  he 
could  support  himself  by  hunting. 

I  experienced  much  kindness  from  the  stranger  ;  he  was 
always  ready  to  perform  any  civil  offices,  and  assist  mo  in 
whatever  he  could,  though  he  spoke  little  :  and  he  gave  me  a 
share  of  his  pork. 

On  the  third  day  after  his  arrival,  he  said  he  would  make 
an  excursion  in  his  canoe  among  the  neighboring  islands,  for 
the  purpose  of  killing  wild-hogs  and  deer,  and  wished  me  to 
accompany  him.  Though  my  spirits  were  somewhat  recruit- 
ed by  his  society,  the  benefit  of  the  fire,  which  I  now  enjoyed, 
and  dressed  provisions,  my  weakness  and  the  soreness  of  my 
feet,  precluded  me;  therefore  he  set  out  alone,  saying  he 
would  return  in  a  few  hours.  The  sky  was  serene,  and  there 
was  no  prospect  of  any  danger  during  a  short  excursion,  see- 
ing he  had  come  nearly  twelve  leagues  in  safety  in  his  canoe. 
But.  when  he  had  been  absent  about  an  hour,  a  violent  gvjst 
af  wind  and  rain  arose,  in  which  he  probably  perished,  as  1 
never  heard  of  him  more. 

Thus,  after  having  the  pleasure  of  a  companion  almost 
three  days,  I  was  as  unexpectedly  reduced  to  rny  former  lone 
ly  state,  as  I  h-id  been  relieved  from  it.  Yet  through  the 
goodness  of  God,  I  was  myself  preserved  from  having  beec 
unable  to  accompany  him;  and  I  was  left  in  bette:  circum- 
stances than  those  in  which  he  had  found  me,  for  now  1  had 
about  five  pounds  of  pork,  a  knife,  a  bottle  of  gunpowder,  to- 


ADVENTURES    OF    miUP    ASUTON.  231 

Dacco,  tongs  and  flint,  by  which  means  my  Lfe  co  ild  be  ren- 
dered more  com.jrtable.  1  was  enabled  to  have  fire,  extreme* 
ly  requisite  at  this  time,  being  the  rainy  months  of  winter.  1 
could  cut  up  a  tortoise,  and  have  a  delicate  broiled  meal. — 
Thus,  by  the  help  of  the  fire,  and  dressed  provisions,  through 
the  blessings  of  God,  I  began  to  recover  strength,  though  the 
soreness  of  my  feet  remained  But  I  had,  besides,  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  able  now  and  then  to  catch  a  dish  of  cray- 
fish, which,  when  roasted,  proved  good  eating.  To  accom- 
plish this  I  made  up  a  small  bundle  of  old  broken  sticks,  near- 
ly resembling  pitch-pine,  or  candle-wood,  and  having  lighted 
one  end,  waded  v/ith  it  in  my  hand,  up  to  the  waist  in  water. 
The  cray-rish,  attracted  by  the  light,  would  crawl  to  my  feet, 
and  lie  directly  under  it,  when,  by  means  of  a  forked  stick,  I 
could  toss  them  ashore. 

Between  two  and  three  months  after  the  time  of  losing  my 
companion,  I  found  a  small  canoe,  while  ranging  along  the 
shore.  The  sight  of  it  revived  my  regret  for  his  loss,  for  1 
judged  that  it  had  been  his  canoe;  and,  from  being  washed  up 
here,  a  certain  proof  of  his  having  been  lost  in  the  tempest. 
But,  on  examining  it  more  closely,  I  satisfied  myself  that  it 
was  one  which  I  had  never  seen  before. 

Master  of  this  little  vessel,  I  began  to  think  myself  admiral 
of  the  neighboring  seas,  as  well  as  sole  possessor  and  chief 
commander  of  the  islands.  Profiting  by  its  use,  I  could 
transport  myself  to  the  places  of  retreat  more  conveniently 
than  by  my  former  expedient  of  swimming. 

In  process  of  time,  I  projected  an  excursion  to  some  of  the 
larger  and  more  distant  islands,  partly  to  learn  how  they  were 
stored  or  inhabited,  and  partly  for  the  sake  of  amusement. — 
Laying  in  a  small  stock  of  figs  and  grapes,  therefore,  as  also 
some  tortoise  to  eat,  and  carrying  my  implements  for  fire,  I 
put  off  to  steer  for  the  island  of  Bornacco,  which  is  about 
four  or  five  leagues  long,  and  situated  five  or  six  from  Roa- 
tan. 

In  the  coursa  of  the  voyage,  observing  a  sloop  at  the  eas' 
end  of  the  island,  I  made  the  best  of  my  way  to  the  west,  de- 
signing to  travel  down  by  land,  both  because  a  point  of  rocks 
ran  far  into  the  sea,  beyond  which  I  did  not  care  to  venture 
in  the  canoe,  as  was  necessary  to  come  a- head  of  the  sloop, 
and  because  I  wished  to  ascertain  something  concerning  her 
people  before  I  was  discovered.  Even  in  my  worst  circum- 
stances, I  never  could  brook  the  thoughts  of  returning  on 
board  of  any  piratical  vessel,  and  resolved  rather  to  live  and 


432  ADVENTURES     Ol     PHILIP     ASHTOJl. 

die  in  my  present  situation.     Hauling  up  the  canoe,  and  mak 
ing  it  fast  as  well  as  1  was  able,  I  set  out  on  the  journey. 
My  feel  were  yet  in  such  a  state,  that  two  days,  and  the  best 
part  of  two  nights  were  occupied  in  it.     Sometimes  the  woods 
and  hushes  were  so  thick  that  it  was  necessary  to  crawl  hall 
a  mile  together  on  my  hands  and  knees,  which  rendered  my 
progress  very  slow. 

>Vhen  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  place  where  I  supposed 
the  sloop  might  he,  I  made  for  the  water  side,  and  approach- 
ed the  sea  gradually,  that  I  might  not  too  soon  disclose  my- 
self to  view;  however,  on  reaching  the  beach,  there  was  no 
appearance  of  the  sloop,  whence  1  judged  that  she  had  sailed 
during  the  time  spent  by  me  in  travelling. 

Being  much  fatigued  with  the  journey,  I  rested  myself 
against  the  stump  of  a  tree,  with  my  face  towards  the  sea, 
where  sleep  overpowered  me.  But  1  had  not  slumbered  long 
before  I  was  suddenly  awakened  by  the  noise  of  firing. — 
Starting  up  in  affright,  I  saw  nine  periaguas,  or  large  canoes, 
full  of  men,  firing,  upon  me  from  the  sea;  whence  1  soon 
turned  about  and  ran  among  the  bushes  as  fast  as  my  sore 
feet  would  allow,  while  the  men,  who  were  Spaniards,  cried 
after  me,  "  O  Englishman,  we  will  give  you  good  quarter." 
However,  my  astonishment  was  so  great,  and  I  was  so  sud- 
denly roused  from  my  sleep,  that  I  had  no  self-command  to 
listen  to  their  offers  of  quarter,  which,  it  may  be,  at  another 
time,  in  my  cooler  moments,  I  might  have  done.  Thus  I 
made  into  the  woods,  and  the  strangers  continued  firing  after 
.me.  to  the  number  of  150  bullets  at  least,  many  of  which  cut 
small  twigs  ofT  the  bushes  close  by  mv  side.  Having  gained 
an  extensive  thicket  beyond  reach  of  the  shot,  I  lay  close  sev- 
eral hours,  until  observing,  by  the  sound  of  their  oars,  that 
the  Spaniards  were  departing,  I  crept  out.  I  saw  the  sloop 
under  English  colors  sailing  away  with  the  canoes  in  tow, 
which  induced  me  to  suppose  she  was  an  English  vessei 
which  had  been  at  the  Bay  of  Honduras,  and  taken  there  by 
the  Spaniards. 

Next  day  I  returned  to  the  tree,  where  I  had  been  so  near- 
ly surprised,  and  was  astonished  to  find  six  or  seven  shot  in 
the  trunk,  within  a  foot  or  less  of  my  head.  Yet  through  the 
wonderful  goodness  of  God,  though  having  been  as  a  mark  to 
shoot  at,  I  was  preserved. 

After  this  I  travelled  to  recover  my  canoe  at  the  western 
end  of  the  island,  \s*jich  I  reached  in  three  days,  but  sufler- 
iug  severely  from  the  soreness  of  my  feet,  and  the  scantiness 


ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP     ASHTOIf.  V33 

of  provisions.  This  island  is  not  so  plentifully  stored  aa 
Roatan,  so  thnt  during  the  five  or  six  days  of  my  residence,  1 
hao.'  difficulty  in  procuring  subsistence;  and  the  insects  were, 
besides,  infinitely  more  numerous  and  harassing  than  at  my 
old  habitation.  Those  circumstances  deterred  me  from  furth 
er  exploring  the  island;  and  having  reached  the  canoe  very 
tired  and  exhausted,  1  put  off  for  Roatan,  which  was  a  roy- 
al palace  to  me,  compared  with  Bonacco,  and  arrived  at  night 
in  safety. 

Here  I  lived,  if  it  may  be  called  living,  alone  for  about 
seven  months,  after  losing  ny  North  British  companion. — 
My  time  was  spent  in  the  usual  manner,  hunting  for  food,  and 
ranging  among  the  islands. 

Some  time  in  June  1724,  while  on  the  small  quay,  whither 
I  often  retreated  to  be  free  from  the  annoyance  of  insects,  I 
saw  two  canoes  making  for  the  harbor.  Approaching  nearer, 
they  observed  the  smoke  of  a  fire  which  1  had  kindled,  and  at 
a  loss  to  know  what  it  meant,  they  hesitated  on  advancing. — 
What  1  had  experienced  at  Bonacco,  was  still  fresh  in  my  own 
memory,  and  loth  to  run  the  risk  of  such  another  firing,  I 
withdrew  to  my  canoe,  lying  behind  the  quay,  not  above  100 
yards  distant,  and  immediately  rowed  over  to  Roatan.  There 
I  had  places  of  safety  against  an  enemy,  and  sufficient  ac- 
commodation for  any  ordinary  number  of  friends. 

The  people  in  the  canoes  observed  me  cross  the  sea  to 
Roatan,  the  passage  not  exceeding  a  gun-shot  over;  and  be- 
ing as  much  afraid  of  pirates  as  I  was  of  Spaniards,  approach- 
ed very  cautiously  towards  the  shore.  I  then  came  down  to 
the  beach,  shewing  myself  openly;  for  their  conduct  led  me 
to  think  that  they  could  not  be  pirates,  and  I  resolved  before 
being  exposed  to  the  danger  of  their  shot,  to  inquire  who  they 
were.  If  they  proved  such  as  I  did  not  like,  1  could  easily 
retire.  Bu*  before  I  spoke,  they,  as  full  of  apprehension  as  I 
could  be,  lay  on  their  oars,  and  demanded  who  I  was,  and 
from  whence  I  came?  to  which  I  replied, "  that  1  was  an 
Englishman,  and  had  run  away  from  pirates."  On  this  they 
drew  somewhat  nearer,  inquiring  who  was  there  besides  my- 
self? when  I  assured  them,  in  return,  that  I  was  alone.  Next, 
according  to  my  original  purpose,  having  put  similar  questions 
to  them,  they  said  they  had  come  from  the  Bay  of  Honduras; 
their  words  encouraged  me  to  bid  them  row  ashore,  ^hich 
they  accordingly  did,  though  a,t  some  distance,  and  one  man 
landed,  whom  I  advanced  to  meet.  But  he  started  back  at 
the  sight  of  a  poor  ragged,  wild,  forlorn,  miserable  object  se 


134  ADVENTURES     OF    FI1ILIP     ASHTOW 

near  him.  Collecting  himself,  however,  he  took  me  by  the 
hand,  and  we  began  embracing  each  other,  he  from  surprise 
and  wonder,  and  1  from  a  sort  of  ecstacy  of  joy.  When  this 
was  over,  he  took  me  in  his  arms,  and  carried  me  down  to  the 
canoes,  when  all  his  comrades  were  struck  with  astonishment 
at  my  appearance;  but  they  gladly  received  me,  and  1  ex- 
perienced great  tenderness  from  them. 

I  gave  the  strangers  a  brief  account  of  my  escape  frona 
Low,  and  my  lonely  residence  for  sixteen  months,  all  except- 
ing three  davs,  the  hardships  I  had  suffered,  and  the  dangers 
to  which  1  hr.d  been  exposed.  They  stood  amazed  .it  the  re- 
cital; they  wondered  I  was  alive,  and  expressed  much  satis- 
faction at  Joeing  abie  to  relieve  rne.  Observing  me  very  weak 
and  depressed,  they  gave  me  about  a  spoonful  of  rum  to  re- 
cruit my  fainting  spirits;  but  even  this  small  quantity,  from 
my  long  disuse  of  strong  liquors,  threw  me  into  violent  agita- 
tion, and  produced  a  kind  of  stupor,  which  at  last  ended  in 
privation  of  sense.  Some  of  the  party  perceiving  a  state  of 
insensibility  come  on,  would  have  administered  more  rum, 
which  those  better  skilled  among  them  prevented;  and  after 
lying  a  short  time  in  a  fit,  I  revived. 

Then  I  ascertained,  that  the  strangers  were  eighteen  in 
number,  the  chief  of  them  named  John  Hope,  an  old  man, 
called  Father  Hope,  by  his  companions,  and  John  Ford,  and 
all  belonging  to  the  Bay  of  Honduras.  The  cause  of  their 
coming  hither,  was  an  alarm  for  an  attack  from  the  sea,  by 
the  Spaniards,  while  the  Indians  should  make  a  descent  by 
land,  and  cut  off  the  Bay;  thus  they  had  fled  for  safety.  On 
a  former  occasion,  the  two  persons  above  named,  had  for  the 
like  reason,  taken  shelter  among  these  islands,  and  lived  four 
years  at  a  time  on  a  small  one,  named  Barbarat,  about  two 
leagues  from  Roatan.  There  they  had  two  plantations,  as 
they  called  them;  and  now  they  brought  two  barrels  of  flour, 
with  other  provisions,  fire-arms,  dogs  for  hunting  and  nets  for 
tortoises;  and  also  an  Indian  woman  to  dress  their  provisions. 
Their  principal  residence  was  a  small  key,  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  round,  lying  near  to  Barbarat,  and  named  by  their 
the  Castle  of  Comfort,  chiefly  because  it  was  low  and  clear 
of  woods  and  bushes,  so  that  the  free  circulation  of  wind 
could  drive  away  the  pestiferous  musquitoes  and  other  insects. 
From  hence  they  sent  to  the  surrounding  islands  for'wood, 
water  and  materials  to  build  two  houses,  such  as  they  were, 
for  shelter. 

1  now  had  the  prospect  of  a  much  more  agreeable  life  than 


ADVENTURES     OF     PHILIP     A3HTOfl.  959 

what  I  had  spent  during  the  sixteen  months  past;  for,  besides 
having  company,  the  strangers  treated  me  with  a  great  deal 
of  civility  in  their  way;  they  clothed  me,  and  gave  me  a 
large  wrapping  gown  as  a  defence  against  the  nightly  dews, 
unt'l  their  houses  were  erected;  and  there  was  plenty  of  pro- 
visions Yet  after  all,  they  were  bad  society;  and  as  to  their 
common  conversation,  there  was  but  little  difference  between 
them  and  pirates.  However,  it  did  not  appear  that  they  were 
now  engaged  in  any  such  evil  design  as  rendered  it  unlawful  to 
join  them,  or  be  found  in  their  company. 

In  process  of  time,  and  with  the  assistance  afforded  by  my 
companions,  I  gathered  so  much  strength  as  sometimes  to  be 
able  to  hunt  along  with  them.  The  islands  abounded  with 
wild  hogs,  deer  and  tortoise;  and  different  ones  were  visited 
in  quest  of  game.  This  was  brought  home,  where,  instead 
of  being  immediately  consumed,  it  was  hung  up  to  dry  in 
smoke,  so  as  to  be  a  ready  supply  at  all  times. 

I  now  considered  myself  beyond  the  reach  of  danger  from 
an  enemy,  for,  independent  of  supposing  that  nothing  couh. 
bring  any  one  here,  I  was  surrounded  by  a  number  of  men 
with  arms  constantly  in  their  hands,  Yet,  at  the  very  tine 
that  I  thought  myself  most  secure,  I  was  very  nearly  again 
falling  into  the  hands  of  pirates. 

Six  or  seven  months  after  the  strangers  joined  me,  three  of 
them,  along  with  myself,  took  a  four  oared  canoe,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  hunting  and  killing  tortoise  on  Bonacco.  During 
our  absence  the  rest  repaired  their  canoes,  and  prepared  to  go 
over  to  the  Bay  of  Honduras,  to  examine  how  matters  stood 
there,  and  l»ring  off  their  remaining  effects,  in  case  it  were 
dangerous  to  return.  But  before  they  had  departed,  we  were 
on  our  voyage  homewards,  having  a  full  load  of  pork  and  tor- 
toise, as  ou/  object  was  successfully  accomplished.  While 
entering  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  in  a  moonlight  evening,  we 
saw  a  grea/  Hash,  and  heard  a  report  much  louder  than  that  01 
a  musket,  proceed  from  a  large  periagua,  which  we  observed 
nea  the  Castle  of  Comfort.  This  put  us  in  extreme  conster- 
nation, and  we  knew  not  what  to  consider;  but  in  a  minute 
we  heard  a  volley  from  eighteen  or  twenty  small  arms,  dis- 
charged towards  the  shore,  and  also  some  returned  from  it. — 
Satisfied  that  an  enemy,  either  Spaniards  or  pirates,  was  at- 
tacking our  people,  and  being  intercepted  trom  them  by  pen 
aguas  lying  between  us  and  the  shore,  we  thought  the  safesi 
plan  was  trying  to  escape.  Therefore,  taking  down  our  little 
mast  and  sail,  that  they  might  not  betray  us,  we  rowed  out  of 


S36  ADVENTURES    OF    PHILIP    ASIIT05. 

the  harbor  as  fast  as  possible,  towards  an  island  about  a  mil« 
and  a  half  distant,  to  retreat  undiscovered.  But  the  enemy 
cither  having  seen  us  before  lowering  our  sail,  or  heard  the 
noise  of  the  oars,  followed  with  all  speed,  in  an  eight  or  ten 
oared  periagua.  Observing  her  approach,  and  fast  gaining 
en  us,  we  rowed  with  all  our  might  to  make  the  nearest  shore. 
However,  she  was  at  length  enabled  to  discharge  a  swivel, 
the  shot  from  which  passed  over  our  canoe.  Nevertheless, 
we  contrived  to  reach  the  shore  before  being  completely  with- 
in the  range  of  small  arms,  which  our  pursuers  discharged  on 
us  while  landing. 

They  were  now  near  enough  to  cry  aloud  that  thev  u-ere 
pirates,  and  not  Spaniards,  and  that  we  need  not  dread  them, 
as  we  should  get  good  quarter;  thence  supposing  that  we 
should  be  the  easier  induced  to  surrender.  Yet  nocniii"  could 

O 

nave  oeen  sain  to  discourage  me  more  from  putting  myself  in 
their  power;  I  had  the  utmost  dread  of  a  pirate,  and  mv  origi- 
nal aversion  was  now  enhanced,  by  the  apprehension  of  being 
sacrificed  for  my  former  desertion.  Thus,  concluding  to 
keep  as  clear  of  them  as  I  could,  and  the  Hondurus  Bay  men 
having  no  great  inclination  to  do  otherwise,  we  made  the  best 
of  our  way  to  the  woods.  Our  pursuers  carried  off  the  ca- 
noe, with  all  its  contents,  resolving,  if  we  would  not  go  to 
them,  to  deprive  us,  as  far  as  possible,  of  all  mean?  of  sub- 
sistence where  we  were.  But  it  gave  me,  who  had  known 
joth  want  and  solitude,  little  concern,  now  that  I  had  compa- 
•»>',  and  there  were  arms  among  us  to  procure  provision,  and 
aiso  fire  wherewith  to  dress  it. 

Our  assailants  were  some  men  belonging  to  Spriggs,  my 
former  commander,  who  had  thrown  off  his  allegiance  to  Low, 
and  set  up  for  himself  at  the  head  of  a  ga.ig  of  pirates,  with 
a  good  ship  of  twenty-four  guns,  and  a  sloop  of  twelve,  both 
presently  lying  in  Roatan  harbor.  He  had  put  in  for  fresh 
wator,  and-to  refit,  at  the  place  where  I  first  escaped;  and. 
having  discovered  my  companions  at  the  small  island  of  their 
retreat,  sent  a  periagua  full  of  men  to  take  them.  According- 
ly they  carried  all  ashcre,  as  also  a  child  and  an  Indian  »vo- 
man;  the  last  of  whom  they  shamefully  abused.  They  kill- 
ed a  man  after  landing,  and  throwing  him  into  one  of  the  ca 
noes  containing  tar,  set  it  on  fire,  and  burnt  his  body  in  it. — 
Then  they  carried  the  people  on  board  of  their  vessels,  where 
they  were  barbarously  treated.  One  of  them  turned  pirave 
however,  and  told  the  others  that  John  Hope  had  hid  manj 
things  in  the  woods;  therefore,  they  beat  him  unmercifully  ti> 


or   PHILIP   ASHTON.  53? 

mako  him  disclose  his  treasure,  which  they  carried  off  with 
them. 

Aflei  the  pirates  had  kept  these  people  five  days  on  boai-d 
of  their  vessels,  they  gave  them  a  flat  of  five  or  six  tons  to 
carry  them  to  the  Bay  of  Hondurus,  but  no  kind  of  provision 
for  the  voyage;  and  further,  before  dismissal,  compelled  them 
to  swear  that  they  would  not  come  near  me  and  my  party,  who 
had  escaped  to  another  island. 

While  the  vessels  rode  in  the  harbor,  we  kept  a  pood  look 
out,  but  were  exposed  to  some  difficulties,  from  not  daring  to 
kinole  a  fire  to  dress  our  victuals,  lest  our  residence  should  be 
betrayed.  Thus  we  lived  for  five  days  on  raw  provisions. — 
As  soon  as  they  sailed,  however,  Hope,  little  regarding  the 
oath  extorted  from  him,  came  and  informed  us  of  what  had 
passed;  and  I  could  not,  for  my  own  part,  be  sufficiently  grate 
fill  to  Providence  for  escaping  the  hands  of  the  pirates,  who 
would  have  put  me  to  a  cruel  death. 

Hope  and  all  his  people,  except  John  Symonds,  now  reso'.vr- 
ed  to  make  their  way  to  the  Bay.  Syrnonds,  who  had  a  ne- 
gro, wished  to  remain  some  time  for  the  purpose  of  trading 
with  the  Jamaica-men  on  the  main  But  thinking  my  best 
chance  of  getting  to  New  England  was  from  the  Bay  of  Hon- 
durus, I  requested  Hope  to  take  me  with  him.  The  old  man, 
though  he  would  gladly  have  done  so,  advanced  many  objec- 
tions, such  as  the  insufficiency  of  the  flat  to  carry  so  many 
men  seventy  leagues;  that  they  had  no  provision  for  the  pas- 
sage, which  might  be  tedious,  and  the  flat  was,  besides  ill  cal- 
culated to  stand  the  sea;  as  also,  that  it  was  uncertain  how 
matters  might  turn  out  at  the  Bay;  thus  he  thought  it  beti^r 
for  me  to  remain;  yet  rather  than  I  should  be  in  solitude,  he 
would  take  me  in. 

Symor.ds,  on  the  other  hand,  urged  me  to  stay  and  bea> 
him  company,  and  gave  several  reasons  why  I  should  moio 
likely  obtain  a  passage  from  the  Jamaica-men  to  New  Eng- 
land, than  by  the  Bay  of  Hondurus.  As  this  seemed  a  fairei 
prospect  of  reaching  my  home,  which  I  was  extremely  anx- 
ious to  do,  I  assented;  and,  having  thanked  Hope  and  his 
companions  for  their  civilities,  I  took  leave  of  them,  and  they 
departed. 

Symonds  was  provided  with  a  canoe,  fire-arms  and  two 
dogs,  in  addition  to  his  negro,  by  which  means  he  felt  confi- 
dant of  being  able  to  provide  all  that  was  necessary  for  our 
«ub  istance.  We  spent  two  or  three  months  ofter  the  usual 
m?  f  r,  ranging  from  island  to  island,  bi't  the  prevalence  ot 


£38  ADVENTURES    OF     PHILIP     ASHTOIt. 

the  winter  rains  precluded  us  from  obtaining  more  ganr.e  thai 
we  required. 

When  the  season  for  the  Jamaica  traders  approached,  Sy- 
monds  proposed  repairing  to  some  other  island  to  obtain  a 
quantity  of  tortoise-shell  which  he  could  exchange  for  clothes 
and  shoes;  and,  being  successful  in  this  respect,  we  next  pro- 
ceeded to  Bonacco,  which  lies  nearer  the  main,  that  we  might 
thence  take  a  favorable  opportunity  to  run  over. 

Having  been  a  short  time  at  Bonacco,  a  furious  tempest 
arose,  and   continued  for  three   days,  when  we  saw   several 
vessels  standing  in  for  the  harbor.    The  largest  of  them  anchor- 
ed at  a  great  distance,  but  a  brigantine  came  over  the  shoalj 
opposite  to  the  watering  place,  and  sent  her  boat  ashore   with 
casks.     Recognizing  three   people   who  were  in  the  boat, 
their  dress  and  appearance,  for  Englishmen,  I  concluded  thej 
were  friends,  and   shewed  myself  openly  on  the  beach'  befor 
them.     They   ceased  rowing   immediately  on   observing   me, 
and,  after  answering  their  inquiries  of  who   I  was,  I  put   the 
same   questions,  saying  they  might  come   ashore  with   safety 
They  did  so,  and  a  happy  meeting  it  was  for  me. 

I  now  found  that  the  vessels  were  a  fleet  under  convoy  of 
the  Diamond  man-of-war,  bound  for  Jamaica;  but  many  ships 
had  parted  company  in  the  storm.  The  Diamond  had  sent  in 
the  brigantine  to  get  water  here,  as  the  sickness  of  her  crew 
had  occasioned  a  great  consumption  of  that  necessary  ar- 
ticle. 

Symonds,  who  had  kept  at  a  distance,  lest  the  three  men 
might  hesitate  to  come  ashore,  at  length  approached  to  parti- 
cipate in  my  joy,  though  at  the  same  time,  testifying  consider- 
able reluctance  at  the  prospect  of  my  leaving  him.  The 
brigantine  was  commanded  by  Captain  Dove,  with  whom  I 
was  acquainted,  and  she  belonged  to  Salem,  within  three 
miles  of  my  father's  house  Captain  Dove  not  only  treated 
me  with  great  civility,  and  engaged  to  give  me  a  passage  home, 
but  took  me  into  pay,  having  lost  a  seaman,  whose  place  he 
wanted  me  to  supply.  Next  day,  the  Diamond  having  sent 
her  long-boat  with  casks  for  water,  they  were  filled;  and  after 
taking  leave  of  Symonds,  who  shed  tears  at  parting,  I  waa 
carried  on  board  of  the  brigantine. 

We  sailed  along  with  the  Diamond,  which  was  bound  for 
Jamaica,  on  the  latter  end  of  March  1725,  and  kept  company 
until  the  first  of  April.  By  the  providence  of  Heaven  we 
passed  safely  through  the  Gulf  of  Florida,  and  reached  Salenc 
Harbor  on  the  first  cf  May,  two  years,  ten  months  and  fifUc» 


EXPLOSION     OP     THE     AMPHION.  239 

days  after  I  w^»s  first  taken  by  pirates;  and  two  years,  nuo 
two  months,  after  making  my  escape  from  them  on  koatan 
island  That  same  evening  I  went  to  my  father's  house, 
where  I  was  received  as  one  risen  from  the  dead 


EXPLOSION  OF  HIS  B.  MAJESTY'S  SHIP 
AMPIIION. 

The  Amphion  frigate,  Captain  Israel  Fellow,  after  having 
cruised  some  time  in  the  North  Seas,  had  at  length  received 
an  order  to  join  the  squadron  of  frigates  commanded  by  Sir 
Edward  Fellow.  She  was  on  her  passage,  when  a  hard  gale 
of  wind  occasioning  some  injury  to  the  fore-mast,  obliged  her 
to  put  back  into  Plymouth,  off  which  place  she  then  was. — 
She  accordingly  came  into  the  sound,  anchored  there  on  tho 
19th,  and  went  up  into  harbor  the  next  morning. 

On  the  2*2d,  at  about  half  past  four  P.  M.  a  violent  shock, 
as  of  an  earthquake,  was  felt  at  Stone-house,  and  extended 
as  far  off  as  the  Royal  hospital  and  the  town  of  Plymouth. — 
The  sky  towards  the  Dock  appeared  red,  like  the  effect  of  a 
fire;  for  near  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  cause  of  this  appear- 
ance could  not  be  ascertained,  though  the  streets  were  crowd- 
ed with  people  running  different  ways  in  the  utmost  conster- 
nation. 

When  the  alarm  and  confusion  had  somewhat  subsided,  it 
first  began  to  be  known  that  the  shock  had  been  occasioned 
by  the  explosion  of  the  Amphion.  Several  bodies  and  man- 
gled remains  were  picked  up  by  the  boats  in  Hamoa/.e;  and 
their  alacrity  on  this  occasion  was  particularly  remarked  and 
highly  commended.  The  few  who  remained  alive  of  the 
crow  were  conveyed,  in  a  mangled  state,  to  the  Royal  Ho9» 
pital.  As  the  frigate  was  originally  manned  from  Plymouth 
the  friends  and  relations  of  her  unfortunate  ship's  company 


440  EXPLOSION     OF    THE     AMPHION 

mostly  lived  in  the  neighborhood.  It  is  dreadful  to  relate 
what  a  scene  took  place — arms,  legs  and  lifeless  tiunks,  man- 
gled and  disfigured  by  gunpowder,  were  collected  and  deposit- 
ed at  the  hospital,  having  been  brought  in  sacks  to  be  owned 
Bodies  still  living,  some  with  the  loss  of  limbs,  others  having 
expired  as  they  were  being  conveyed  thither;  men,  women 
and  children,  whose  sons,  husbands  and  fathers  were  among 
the  unhappy  number,  Hocking  round  the  gates,  intreating  ad- 
mitance.  During  the  first  evening  nothing  was  ascertained 
concerning  the  cause  of  this  event,  though  numerous  reports 
were  instantly  circulated.  The  few  survivors,  who,  by  th  • 
following  day,  had,  in  some  degree  regained  the  use  of  their 
senses,  could  not  give  the  least  account.  One  man  who  was 
brought  alive  to  the  Royal  Hospital,  died  before  night,  anoth- 
er before  the  following  morning;  the  boatswain  and  one  of 
the  sailors  appeared  likely,  with  great  care,  to  do  well.-- 
Three  or  four  men  who  were  at  work  in  the  tops,  were  blown 
up  with  them  and  falling  into  the  water,  were  picked  up  with 
very  little  hurt.  These,  with  the  two  before  mentioned,  and 
one  of  the  sailors'  wives,  were  supposed  to  be  the  only  survi- 
vors, besides  the  captain  and  two  of  the  lieutenants. 

The  following  particulars  were,  however,  collected  from 
the  examination  of  several  persons  before  Sir  Richard  Ki:i;_f, 
the  port-admiral,  and  the  information  procured  from  those, 
who  saw  the  explosion  from  the  Dock. 

The  first  person  known  to  have  observed  any  thinjj  was  a 
young  midshipman  in  the  Cambridge  guard-ship,  Iving  n  »t 
far  distant  from  the  place  where  the  Amphion  blew  up;  who 
having  a  great  desire  to  observe  everything  relative  to  a  pro- 
fession into  which  he  had  just  entered,  was  looking  through  a 
glass  at  the  irigate,  as  she  lay  along  side  of  the  sheer-hulk, 
and  was  taking  in  her  bowsprit.  She  was  lashed  to  the  hulk; 
and  the  Yarmouth,  an  old  receiving  ship,  was  Lying  on  the  op- 
posite side,  quite  close  to  her,  and  both  within  a  lew  yards  of 
the  Dock-yard  jetty.  The  midshipman  said,  that  the  Arnphi- 
on  suddenly  appeared  to  rise  altogether  upright  from  the  sur 
face  of  the  water,  until  he  nearly  saw  her  keel;  the  explosion 
then  succeeded;  the  masts  seemed  to  be  forced  up  into -the 
air,  and  the  hull  instantly  to  sink.  All  this  passed  in  the 
space  of  two  minutes. 

The  man  who  stood  at  the  Dock-yard  stairs,  said,  that  the 
first  he  heard  of  it  was  a  kind  of  hissing  noise,  and  then  fol- 
lowed the  explosion,  when  he  beheld  the  masts  blown  up  inte- 
the  air.  It  was  very  strongly  reported  that  several  windows 


EXPLOSION     OF     THE     AMPHION.  241 

were   broken  in  the  Dock  by  the  explosion,  and  that  in  the 
Dock-yard  much  mischief  was  done  by  the  Amphion's  gun 
going  oil  when  she  blew  up;  but  though  the  shock  was  fel 
as  far  off  as  Plymouth,  and  at  Stone-house,  enough  to  shake 
the  windows,  yet  it  is  a  wonderful  and  miraculous  fact,  that 
surrounded  as  she  was  in   the  harbor,  with   ships  close  along 
side  of  the  jetty,  and  lashed  to  another  vessel,  no  damage  was 
done  to  any  thing  but   herself.     It   is  dreadful  to  reflect,  £hi 
owing  to  their  intention  of  putting  tg  sea  the  next  day,  there 
were   nearly   one   hundred    men,  women    and   children,  more 
than  her  compliment  on  board,  taking  leave  of  their  friends 
besides  the  company  who  were  at  two  dinners  given  in  the 
ship,  one  of  which  was  by  the  captain. 

Captain  Israel  Fellow,  and  Captain  William  Swaffield,  of 
his  Majesty's  ship  Overyssel,  who  was  at  dinner  with  him  and 
the  first  lieutenant,  were  drinking  their  wine;  when  the  first 
explosion  threw  them  off  their  seats,  and  struck  them  against 
the  carlings  of  the  upper  deck,  so  as  to  stun  them.     Captain 
Fellow,  however,  had  sufficient  presence  of  mind  to  fly  to  the 
cabin  windows,  arid  seeing  the  two   hawsers,  one  slack  in  the 
bit  and  the  other  taut,  threw  himself  with  an  amazing  leap, 
which  he  afterwards  said,  nothing  but  his  sense    of  danger 
could  have  enabled  him  to  take,  upon  the  latter,  and   by  that 
means  saved  himself  from  the  general  destruction,  though  his 
face  had   been   badly  cut   against  the   carlings,  when  he   was 
.nrown  from  his  seat.      The  first  lieutenant  saved  himself  in 
the  same  manner,  by  jumping  out  of  the  window,  and  by  be- 
ing also  a  remarkable  good  swimmer;    but  Captain  Swaffield 
being,  as  it  was  supposed,  more  stunned,  did   not  escape. - 
His  body  was  found   on  the  twenty-second  of  October,  wit 
his  skull  fractured,  appearing  to  have  been  crushed  betwee 
the  sides  of  two  vessels. 

The  centincl  at  the  cabin  door  happened  to  be  looking  at 
his  watch;  how  he  escaped  no  one  can  tell,  not  even  himself. 
He  was,  hmvcver,  brought  on  shore,  and  but  little  hurt'  the 
first  thing  he  felt  was,  that  his  watch  was  dashed  out  cf  his 
hands,  after  which  he  was  no  longer  sensible  of  what  happen- 
ed to  him.  The  boatswain  was  standing  on  the  cat-head,  the 
bowsprit  had  been  stepped  for  three  hours;  the  gammoning 
and  every  thing  on;  and  he  was  directing  the  men  in  rigging 
out  the  jib-boom,  when  suddenly  he  felt  himself  driven  up- 
wards and  fell  into  the  sea  He  then  perceived  that  he  was 
entangled  in  the  rigging,  and  had  some  trouble  to  get  clear, 
when  being  taken  up  by  a  boat  belonging  to  one  of  the  me* 
VOL.  n  II 


242  EXPLOSION     OF     THE     AMPHlOlt. 

of  war,  they  found  that  his  arm  was  broken.  One  of  the  sur 
viving  seamen  declared  to  an  officer  of  rank,  that  he  wat 
preserved  in  the  following  truly  astonishing  manner  : — He 
was  below  at  the  time  the  Amphion  blew  up,  and  went  to  the 
bottom  of  the  ship,  he  recollected  that  he  had  a  knife  in  his 
pocket,  and  taking  it  out,  cut  his  way  through  the  companion 
of  the  gun-room,  which  was  already  shattered  with  the  ex- 
plosion; then  letting  himself  up  to  the  surface  cf  the  water, 
he  swam  unhurt  to  the  shore.  He  shewed  his  knife  to  the  of- 
ficer, and  declared  he  had  been  under  water  full  five  minutes. 

It  was  likewise  said,  that  one  of  the  sailors'  wives  had  a 
young  child  in  her  arms;  the  fright  of  the  shock  made  her 
take  such  fast  hold  of  it,  that  though  the  upper  part  of  her 
body  alone  remained,  the  child  was  found  alive  locked  fast  in 
her  arms,  and  likely  to  do  well. 

Mr  Spry,  an  auctioneer,  who  had  long  lived  in  great  re- 
spectability at  Dock,  with  his  son  and  god-son,  had  gone  on 
board  to  visit  a  friend,  and  were  all  lost. 

About  half  an  hour  before  the  frigate  blew  up,  one  of  her 
lieutenants,  and  Lieutenant  Campbell  of  the  marines  and 
some  of  the  men  got  into  the  boat  at  the  dock-yard  stairs, 
and  went  off  to  the  ship.  Lieutenant  Campbell  had  some 
business  to  transact  at  the  Marine  barracks  in  the  morning, 
and  continuing  there  some  time,  was  engaged  by  the  ofliceis 
to  stay  to  dinner  and  spend  the  evening  with  them.  Some 
persons,  however,  who  had,  in  the  interval,  come  from  the 
Amphion,  informed  Lieutenant  Campbell  that  there  were 
some  letters  on  board  for  him.  As  they  were  some  which  ho 
was  extremely  anxious  to  receive,  he  left  the  barracks  aboul 
half  an  hour  before  dinner  to  fetch  them,  intending  to  returr 
immediately;  but  while  he  was  on  board  the  ship  blew  up.— 
He  was  a  young  man  universally  respected  end  lamented  b} 
the  corps,  as  well  as  by  all  who  knew  him.  One  of  the  lieu- 
tenants who  lost  his  life  was  the  only  support  of  an  aged 
mother  and  sister,  who,  at  his  death,  had  neither  friend  noi 
relation  left  to  comfort  and  protect  them.  The  number  o> 
people  who  were  afterwards  daily  seen  at  Dock,  in  deej 
mourning  for  their  lost  relatives,  was  truly  melancholy. 

Captain  Fellow  was  taken  up  by  the  boats  and  carried  tf 
Commissioner  Fanshaw's  house  in  the  dock-yard,  very  weak 
with  the  exertions  he  had  made,  and  so  shocked  with  the  dia 
tressing  cause  of  them,  that  he  at  first  appeared  scarcely  tn 
know  where  he  was,  or  to  be  sensible  of  his  situation.  In 
the  course  of  a  day  or  two,  when  he  was  a  little  recovered, 


EXPLOSION     07     THE     AMPII1ON  S43 

he  was  removed  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  Dr.  Hawker  o/ 

Plymoutn. 

Sir  Richard  King  had  given  a  public  dinner  in  honor  of  the 
coronation.  Captain  Charles  Rowley,  of  the  Unite  frigate, 
calling  in  the  morning,  was  engaged  to  stay,  and  excused 
himself  from  dining,  as  he  had  previously  intended,  on  boatd 
the  Arnphion. 

Captain  Darby  of  the  Bellerophon,  was  also  to  have  dined 
with  Captain  Fellow,  and  had  come  round  in  his  boat  from 
Cawsand  Hay;  but  having  to  transact  some  business  con- 
cerning the  ship  with  Sir  Richard  King,  it  detained  him  half 
an  hour  longer  at  Stone-house  than  he  expected.  He  had 
just  gone  down  to  the  beach  and  was  stepping  into  the  boat  to 
proceed  up  to  Ilnrmoazc,  when  he  heard  the  fatal  explosion. 
Captain  Swaffield  was  to  have  sailed  the  next  day,  so  that  the 
difference  of  twenty-four  hours  would  have  saved  that  much 
Jamented  and  truly  valuable  officer.  His  brother  Mr.  J. 
Swallield,  of  the  Pay-Oflice,  being  asked  to  the  same  dinner, 
had  set  off  with  him  from  Stone-house,  but  before  he  had 
reached  Dock  a  person  came  after  him  upon  business,  which 
obliged  him  to  return,  and  thus  saved  him  from  sharing  his 
brother's  untimely  fate. 

Many  conjectures  were  formed  concerning  the  cause  of  this 
catastrophe.  Some  conceived  it  to  be  owing  to  neglect,  as  the 
men  were  employed  in  drawing  the  guns,  and  contrary  to  rule, 
had  not  extinguished  all  the  fires,  though  the  dinners  were  over 
This,  however,  the  first  lieutenlant  declared  to  be  impossible, 
as  they  could  not  be  drawing  the  guns,  the  key  of  the  maga- 
zine hanging,  to  his  certain  knowledge,  in  his  cabin  at  tne 
time.  Some  of  the  men  likewise  declared  that  the  guns  were 
drawn  in  the  Sound  before  they  came  up  Harmoaze.  It  was 
also  insinuated,  that  it  was  done  intentionally,  as  several  of 
the  bodies  were  afterwards  found  without  clothes,  as  if  they 
had  prepared  to  jump  overboard  before  the  ship  could  hate 
time  to  blow  up.  As  no  mutiny  had  ever  appeared  in  the 
ship,  it  seems  unlikely  that  such  a  desperate  plot  should  have 
been  formed,  without  any  one  who  survived  having  the  least 
knowledge  of  it.  "It  is,  besides,  a  well  known  fact,  that  in  al- 
most every  case  of  shipwreck  where  there  is  a  chance  of 
plunder,  there  are  wretches  so  destitute  of  the  common  feel- 
ings of  humanity  as  to  hover  round  the  scene  of  horror,  in 
jopes,  by  stripping  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  and  seizing  what- 
ever they  can  lay  their  hands  on,  to  benefit  themselves. 

It  was  the  fore  magazine  which  took  fire;  had  it  been  tho 


844  EXPLOSION     OF     THE     AMPHIOJT 

after  one,  much  more  damage  must  have  ensued.  The  mo- 
ment the  explosion  was  heard,  Sir  Richard  King  arose  from 
dinner,  and  went  in  his  boat  on  board  the  hulk,  where  the 
sight  he  beheld  was  dreadful;  the  deck  covered  with  blood, 
mangled  limbs  and  entrails  blackened  with  gunpowder,  the 
shreds  of  the  Amphion's  pendant  and  rigging  hanging  about 
her,  and  pieces  of  her  shattered  timbers  strewed  all  around. 
Some  people  at  dinner  in  the  Yarmouth,  though  at  a  very 
small  distance,  declared  that  the  report  they  heard  did  not  ap- 
pear to  be  louder  than  the  firing  of  a  cannon  from  the  Cam- 
bridge, which  they  imagined  it  to  be,  and  had  never  risen  from 
dinner,  till  the  confusion  upon  deck  led  them  to  think  that 
some  accident  had  happened. 

At  low  water,  the  next  day,  about  a  foot  and  a  half  of  one 
of  the  masts  appeared  above  water;  and  for  several  days  the 
dock-yard  men  were  employed  in  collecting  the  shattered 
masts  and  yards,  and  dragging  out  what  they  could  procure  from 
the  wreck.  On  the  twenty-ninth,  part  of  the  fore-chains  was 
hauled,  shattered  and  splintered,  also  the  head  and  cut-water 

On  the  3d  of  October  an  attempt  was  made  to  raise  the 
Amphion,  between  the  two  frigates,  the  Castor  and  Iphigenia, 
which  were  accordingly  moored  on  each  side  of  her;  but  noth- 
ing could  be  got  up,  excepting  a  few  pieces  of  the  ship,  one 
or  two  of  her  guns,  some  of  the  men's  chests,  chairs,  and 
part  of  the  furniture  of  the  cabin.  Some  bodies  floated  out 
from  between  decks,  and  among  the  rest  a  midshipman's. — 
These,  and  all  that  could  be  found,  were  towed  round  by  boats 
through  Stone-house  bridge  up  to  the  Royal  Hospital  stairs, 
to  be  interred  in  the  burying  ground.  The  sight  for  many 
weeks  was  truly  dreadful,  the  change  of  tide,  washing  out 
the  putrid  bodies,  which  were  towed  round  by  the  boats  when 
they  would  scarcely  hold  together. 

Bodies  continued  to  be  found  so  late  as  the  30th  of  Novem- 
ber, when  the  Amphion  having  been  dragged  rouud  to  anoth- 
er part  of  the  dock-yard  jetty  to  be  broken  up,  the  body  of  a 
woman  was  washed  out  from  between  decks.  A  sack  \vas  al- 
so dragged  up,  containing  gunpowder,  covered  over  at  the  f.-p 
with  biscuit,  and  this  in  some  measure,  confimed  ir»  idea 
which  had  before  gained  ground,  that  the  gunner  hat  been 
stealing  powder  to  sell,  and  had  concealed  what  he  could  get 
out  by  degrees  in  the  above  manner;  and  that,  thinking  him- 
self safe  on  a  day  when  every  one  was  entertaining  his  friends 
he  had  carelessly  been  among  the  gunpowder  without  taking 
the  "  "cessary  precautions.  As  he  was  said  to  have  boen  seen 


LOSS    OF     H     B     M      SHIP  LA  TRIBUNE.  245 

at  Dock  very  much  in  liquor  in  the  morning,  it  seems  proba- 
ble that  this  might  have  been  the  cause  of  a  calamity  as  sud- 
den as  it  was  dreadful. 


LOSS  OF  II.  B.  M.  SHIP  LA  TRIBUNE, 

OFF   HALIFAX,    NOTA    SCOTIA. 

La  Tribune  was  one  of  the  finest  frigates  in  his  Majesty's 
navy,  mounted  44  guns,  and. had  recently  been  taken  from 
the  French  by  Captain  Williams  in  the  Unicorn  frigate. — 
She  was  commanded  by  Captain  S.  Barker,  and  on  the  22d 
of  September,  1797,  sailed  from  Torbay  as  convoy  to  the 
Quebec  and  Newfoundland  fleets.  In  latitude  49  14  and 
longitude  17  22,  she  fell  in  and  spoke  with  his  Majesty's  ship 
experiment,  from  Halifax;  and  lost  sight  of  all  her  convoy  on 
the  10th  of  October,  in  latitude  74  16  and  longitude  32  II. 

About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  following  Thurs- 
day they  came  in  sight  of  the  harbor  of  Halifax,  and  approach- 
ed it  very  fast,  with  an  E.  S.  K.  wind,  when  Captain  Barker 
proposed  to  the  master  to  lay  the  ship  to,  till  they  could  pro- 
cure a  pilot.  The  master  replied  that  he  had  beat  a  44  gun 
snip  into  the  harbor,  that  he  had  frequently  been  there,  and 
there  was  no  occasion  for  a  pilot,  as  the  wind  was  favorable. 
Confiding  in  these  assurances,  Captain  Barker  went  into  his 
cabin,  where  he  was  employed  in  arranging  some  papers 
v.'hich  he  intended  to  take  on  shore  with  him.  In  the  mean 
time  the  master,  placing  great  dependance  on  the  judgment 
of  a  negro,  named  John  Cosey,  who  had  formerly  belonged 
to  Halifax,  took  upon  himself  the  pilotage  of  the  ship. 

By  twelve  o'clock  the  ship  approached  so  near  the  Thrum 
Cap  shoals  that  the  master  became  alarmed,  and  sent  for  Mr. 
Galvin,  master's  mate,  who  was  sick  below.  On  his  coming 
upon  deck,  he  heard  the  man  in  the  chains  sing  out,  "  by  the 


246  toss  or   H.    B.  M.  srnr   LA   TRIBUM. 

mark  five!"  the  black  man  forward  at  the  same  time  crying 
"  steady!"  Galvin  got  on  one  of  the  carronades  to  observe 
ihe  situation  of  the  ship;  the  master  ran  in  great  agitation  to 
the  wheel,  and  took  it  from  the  man  who  was  steering,  with 
the  intention  of  wearing  the  ship;  but  before  this  could  be  ef- 
fected, or  Galvin  was  able  to  give  an  opinion,  she  struck. — 
Captain  Barker  immediately  went  on  deck  and  reproached 
the  master  with  having  lost  the  ship.  Seeing  Galvin  like- 
wise on  deck,  he  addressed  him  and  said  "that,  knowing  he 
had  formerly  sailed  out  of  the  harbor,  he  was  surprised  he 
could  stand  by  and  see  the  master  run  the  ship  on  shore,  ''  to 
which  Galvin  replied  "that  he  had  not  been  on  deck  long 
enough  to  give  an  opinion." 

Signals  of  distress  were  immediately  made,  and  answered 
by  the  military  posts  and  ships  in  the  harbor,  from  which,  as 
well  as  the  dock-yard,  boats  immediately  put  off  to  the  relief 
of  the  Tribune.  The  military  boats,  and  one  of  those  from 
the  dock-yard,  with  Mr.  Kackum,  boatswain  of  the  ordinary, 
reached  the  ship,  but  the  wind  was  so  much  against  the  others, 
that,  in  spite  of  all  their  exertions,  they  were  unable  to  get 
on  board.  The  ship  was  immediately  lightened  by  throwing 
overboard  all  her  guns,  excepting  one  retained  for  signals, 
and  every  other  heavy  article,  so  that  aljout  half  past  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening  the  ship  began  to  heave,  and  at  nine 
got  off  the  shoals.  She  had  lost  her  rudder  about  three 
hours  before,  and  it  was  now  found,  on  examination,  that  she 
had  seven  feet  water  in  the  hold.  The  chain  pumps  were 
immediately  manned,  and  such  exertions  were  made  that  they 
seemed  to  gain  on  the  leaks.  By  the  advice  of  Mr.  Rackum, 
the  captain  ordered  the  best  bower  anchor  to  be  let  go,  but 
this  did  not  bring  her  up.  He  then  ordered  the  cable  to  be 
cut;  and  the  jib  and  fore  top-mast  stay-sail  were  hoisted  to 
steer  by.  During  this  interval  a  violent  gale,  which  had  come 
on  at  S.  E.  kept  increasing,  and  carrying  the  ship  to  the  wes- 
tern shore.  The  small  bower  anchor  w;u  soon  afterwards  let 
go,  at  which  time  they  found  themselves  in  thirteen  fathom  of 
water,  and  the  mizen-mast  was  then  cut  away. 

It  was  now  ten  o'clock,  and  as  the  water  gained  fast  upon 
them,  the  crew  had  but  little  hope  left  of  saving  either  the 
ship  or  their  lives.  At  this  critical  period  Lieutenant  Camp- 
bell quitted  the  ship,  and  Lieuteuant  North  was  taken  into 
the  boat  out  of  one  of  the  ports.  From  the  moment  at  which 
the  former  left  the  vessel  all  hopes  of  safety  had  vanished; 
the  ship  was  sinking  fast,  the  storm  was  increasing  with  re 


LOSS     OF     H.    B.  M      SHIP     LA     TRIBUTE  147 

doubled  violence,  and  the  rocky  shore  which  they  were  ap- 
proaching, resounded  with  the  tremendous  noise  of  the  rolling 
billows,  presented  nothing  to  those  who  might  survive  the 
loss  of  the  ship  but  the  expectation  of  a  more  painful  death, 
by  being  dashed  against  precipices,  which,  even  in  the  calm- 
est day,  it  is  impossible  to  ascend.  Dunlap,  one  of  the  sur- 
vivors, declared,  that  about  half  past  ten,  as  nearly  as  he 
could  conjecture,  one  of  the  men  who  had  been  below,  came 
to  him  on  the  forecastle,  and  told  him  it  was  all  over.  A  few 
minutes  afterwards  the  ship  took  a  lurch,  like  a  boat  nearly 
filled  with  water  and  going  down;  on  which  Dunlap  immedi- 
ately began  to  ascend  the  fore-shrouds,  and  at  the  same  mo- 
ment casting  his  eyes  towards  the  quarter-deck,  he  saw  Cap- 
tain Barker  standing  by  the  gangway,  anH  looking  into  the 
water,  and  directly  afterwards  he  heard  him  call  for  the  jolly- 
boat.  !Te  then  saw  the  lieutenant  of  marines  running  to- 
v  ,.  ;!ic  taffrel,  to  look,  as  he  supposed,  for  the  jolly-boat, 
\  ..^h  had  been  previously  let  down  with  men  in  her;  but  the 
siiip  instantly  took  a  second  lurch  and  sunk  to  the  bottom,  af- 
ter which  neither  the  captain  nor  any  of  the  other  officers 
were  again  seen. 

The  scene,  before  sufficiently  distressing,  now  became  pe- 
culiarly awful.  More  than  240  men,  besides  several  women 
and  children,  were  floating  on  the  waves,  making  the  last  ef- 
fort to  preserve  life.  Dunlap,  who  has  been  already  men- 
tioned, gained  the  fore-top.  Mr.  Galvin,  the  master's  mate, 
with  incredible  difficulty,  got  into  the  main-top.  He  was  be- 
low when  the  ship  sunk,  directing  the  men  at  the  chain-pump, 
but  was  washed  up  the  hatchway,  thrown  into  the  waist  and 
from  thence  into  the  water,  and  his  feet,  as  he  plunged, 
struck  against  a  rock  On  ascending  he  swam  to  gain  the 
main-shrouds,  when  three  men  suddenly  seized  hold  of  him 
He  now  gave  himself  up  for  lost;  but  to  disengage  himself 
from  them  he  made  a  dive  into  the  water,  which  caused  them 
to  quit  their  grasp.  On  rising  again  he  swam  to  the  shrouds, 
and  having  reached  tha  main-top,  seated  himself  on  an  arm 
chest  which  was  lashed  to  the  mast. 

From  the  observations  of  Galvin  in  the  main-top,  and  Dun- 
lap  in  the  fore-top,  it  appears  that  nearly  one  hundred  per- 
sons were  hanging  a  considerable  time  to  the  shrouds,  the 
tops  and  other  parts  of  the  wreck.  From  the  length  of  the 
night,  and  the  severity  of  the  storm,  nature,  however,  became 
exhausted,  and  during  the  whole  night  they  kept  dropping  off 
and  disappeared.  The  cries  and  groans  of  the  unhappy  suf- 


248  LOSS   or    H.  B.   M  .  sair  LA   TRIBUNE. 

ferers,  from  the  bruises  many  of  them  had  received,  and  theii 
hopes  of  deliverance  beginning  to  fail,  were  continued  through 
the  night,  but  as  morning  approached,  in  consequence  of  the 
few  who  then  survived,  they  became  extremely  feeble. 

Abnut  twelve  o'clock  the  main-mast  gave  way;  at  that  time 
there  were  on  the  main-top  and  shrouds  about  forty  persons. 
By  the  fall  of  the  mast  the  whole  of  these  unhappy  wretches 
were  again  plunged  into  the  water,  and  ten  only  regained  tho 
top,  which  rested  on  the  main-yard,  and  the  whole  remained 
fast  to  the  ship  by  some  of  the  rigging.  Of  the  ten  who  thus 
reached  the  top,  four  only  were  alive  when  morning  appeared. 
Ten  were  at  that  time,  alive  on  the  fore-top,  but  three  were 
so  exhausted,  and  so  helpless,  that  they  were  washed  away 
before  any  relief  arrived;  three  others  perished,  and  thus  only 
four  were,  at  last,  left  alive  on  the  fore-top. 

The  place  where  the  ship  went  down  was  barely  three  times 
her  length  to  the  southward  of  the  entrance  into  Herring 
Cove.  The  inhabitants  came  down  in  the  night  to  the  point 
opposite  to  which  the  ship  sunk,  kept  up  large  fires,  and  were 
BO  near  as  to  converse  with  the  people  on  the  wreck. 

The  first  exertion  that  was  made  for  their  relief  was  by  a 
boy  thirteen  years  old,  from  Herring  Cove,  who  ventured  off 
in  a  small  skiff"  by  himself  about  eleven  o'clock  the  next  day. 
This  youth,  with  great  labor  and  extreme  risk  to  himself, 
boldly  approached  the  wreck,  and  backed  in  his  little  boat  so 
near  to  the  fore-top  as  to  take  off*  two  of  the  men,  for  the 
boat  could  not  with  safety  hold  any  more.  And  here  a  trait 
of  generous  magnanimity  was  exhibited,  which  ought  not  to 
pass  unnoticed.  Dunlap  and  another  man,  named  Monro,  had 
throughout  this  disastrous  night,  preserved  their  strength  and 
spirits  in  a  greater  degree  than  their  unfortunate  companions, 
who  they  endeavored  to  cheer  and  encourage  when  they  found 
their  spirits  sinking.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  boat  these  two 
might  have  stepped  into  it,  and  thus  have  terminated  their 
own  sufferings;  for  their  two  companions,  though  alive,  were 
unable  to  stir;  they  lay  exhausted  on  the  top,  wishing  not  to 
be  disturbed,  and  seemed  desirous  to  perish  in  that  situation. 
These  generous  fellows  hesitated  not  a  moment  to  reimiiri 
themselves  on  the  wreck,  and  to  save  their  unfortunate  co'ii- 
panions  against  their  will.  They  lifted  them  up,  and  with 
the  greatest  exertion  placed  them  in  the  boat,  the  MANLY  KOY 
rowed  them  triumphantly  to  the  Cove,  and  immediately  had 
them  conveyed  to  a  comfortable  habitation.  After  shaming 
by  his  example,  older  persons,  who  had  larger  boats,  he  again 


LOSS    OF    H      B.    M.    SHIP    LA    TRIBUNE.  249 

put  off  with  his  skiff,  but  with  all  his  efforts  he  could  not  then 
approach  the  wreck.  His  example,  however,  was  soon  fol- 
lowed by  four  of  the  crew  who  had  escaped  in  the  Tribune's 
jolly-boat,  and  by  some  of  the  boats  in  the  Cove.  With  their 
joint  exertions,  the  eight  men  were  preserved,  and  these  with 
the  four  who  had  saved  themselves  in  the  jolly-boat,  were  the 
whole  of  the  survivors  of  this  fine  ship's  company 

A  circumstance  occurred  in  which  that  cool  thoughtless- 
ness of  danger,  which  so  often  distinguishes  our  British  tars, 
was  displayed  in  such  a  striking  manner,  that  it  would  be  in 
excusable  to  omit  it.  Daniel  Monro,had,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  gained  the  fore-top.  He  suddenly  disappeared,  and  i* 
was  concluded  that  he  had  been  washed  away  like  many  oth- 
ers. After  being  absent  from  the  top  about  two  hours,  he,  tc 
the  surprise  of  Dunlap,  who  was  likewise  on  the  fore-top, 
raised  his  head  through  the  lubber-hole,  Dunlap  inquiring 
where  he  had  been,  he  told  him  he  had  been  cruising  for  a 
better  birth;  that  after  swimming  about  the  wreck  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  he  had  returned  to  the  fore-shrouds,  and  crawl- 
ing in  on  the  catharpins,  had  actually  been  sleeping  there  more 
(ban  an  hour,  and  appeared  greatly  refreshed. 


H 


ttO 


OF    TIH    FRINC* 


BURNING  OF  THE  PRINCE, 

A   FRENCH    EAST    INDIAMAN. 

On  the  19th  of  February  1752,  a  French  East  Indiaman, 
called  the  Prince,  sailed  from  Port  L'Orient  on  a  voyage  out- 
ward bound.  But  soon  afterwards,  a  sudden  shift  of  wind 
drove  her  on  a  sand  bank,  where  she  was  exposed  to  imminent 
danger,  and  heeled  so  much  thai  the  mouths  oi  ihe  guns  lay 
in  the  sea.  By  lightening  the  ship,  however,  accompanied  by 
incessant  and  laborious  exertions,  she  floated  with  the  rise  of 
the  tide,  and,  being  again  carried  into  port,  was  completely 
unloaded,  and  underwent  a  thorough  repair. 

The  voyage  was  resumed  on  the  10th  of  June,  with  a  fa- 
vorable wind,  and  for  several  weeks,  seemed  to  promise  ev- 
ery success  that  could  be  desired. 

While  in  south  latitude  8  30,  and  in  5  west  longitude  from 
Fans,  INI.  de  la  Fond,  one  of  the  lieutenants  of  the  ship,  was, 
jvst  at  the  moment  of  this  observation,  informed  by  a  souman, 
that  smoke  was  issuing  from  the  main  hatchway.  The  fir** 


BPBN1MO   OF   THE    PRI5CK.  251 

lieutenant,  who  had  the  keys  of  the  hold,  immediately  order- 
ed every  hatchway  to  be  opened  to  ascertain  the  truth. 

But  the  fact  was  too  soon  verified,  and,  while  the  captain 
hastened  on  deck  from  the  great  cabin,  where  he  sat  at  din- 
ner, Lieutanant  de  la  Fond  ordered  some  sails  to  be  dipped 
in  the  sea,  and  the  hatches  to  be  covered  with  them  in  order 
to  prevent  the  access  of  air,  and  thus  stifle  the  fire.  He  had 
even  intended,  as  a  more  effectual  measure,  to  let  in  the  water 
between  decks  to  the  depth  of  a  foot,  but  clouds  of  smoke  is- 
sued from  the  crevices  of  the  hatchways,  and  the  flames  gain- 
ed more  and  more  by  degrees. 

Meantime  the  captain  ordered  sixty  or  eighty  soldiers  un- 
der arms,  to  restrain  any  disorder  and  confusion  which  might 
probably  ensue;  and  in  this  he  was  supported  by  their  com- 
mander, M.  de  la  Touche,  who  exhibited  uncommon  fortitude 
on  the  occasion. 

Every  one  was  now  employed  in  procuring  water;  all  the 
buckets  were  filled,  the  pumps  plied,  and  pipes  introduced 
from  them  to  the  hold.  But  the  rapid  progress  of  the  flames 
bailed  the  exertions  to  subdue  them,  and  augmented  the  gen- 
eral consternation. 

The  yawl  lying  in  the  way  of  the  people,  was  hoisted  out 
by  order  of  the  captain,  and  the  boatswain,  along  with  three 
others  took  possession  of  it.  Wanting  oars,  they  were  sup- 
plied with  some  by  three  men  who  leaped  overboard.  Those 
in  the  ship,  however,  desired  them  to  return,  but  they  exclaim- 
ed, that  they  wanted  a  rudder,  and  desired  a  rope  to  be  thrown 
out.  However,  the  progress  of  the  flames  soon  shewing  them 
their  oniy  alternative  for  safety,  they  withdrew  from  the 
ship,  and  she  from  the  effect  of  a  breeze  springing  up,  pass- 
ed by. 

On  board  the  utmost  activity  still  prevailed,  and  the  courage 
of  the  people  seemed  to  be  augmented  by  the  difficulty  of  es- 
cape. The  master  boldly  went  down  into  the  hold,  but  the 
intense  heat  compelled  him  to  return,  and,  had  not  a  quantity 
of  water  been  dashed  over  him,  he  would  have  been  severely 
scorched.  Immediately  subsequent  to  this  period,  flames  vio- 
lently burst,  from  the  main  hatchway. 

At  that  time  the  captain  ordered  the  boats  to  be  got  out, 
while  consternation  enfeebled  the  most  intrepid  The  long- 
boat had  been. secured  at  a  certain  height,  and  she  was  about 
to  be  put  over  the  ship's  side,  when,  unhappily,  the  fire  run 
up  the  mam-mast,  and  caught  the  tackle;  the  boat  fell  dows 


BURJCINO    OF   THE    PRINCE. 

on  the  guns,  bottom  upwards,  and  it  was  vain  to  think  of  get 
ting  her  righted. 

At  length  it  became  too  evident  that  the  calamity  was  be- 
yond the  reach  of  human  remedy;  nothing  but  the  mercy  of 
the  Almighty  could  interpose;  consternation  was  universally 
disseminated  among  the  people;  nothing  but  sighs  and  groang 
resounded  through  the  vessel,  and  the  very  animals  on  board, 
as  if  sensible  of  the  impending  danger,  uttered  the  most  dread- 
ful cries.  The  certainty  of  perishing  in  either  element  was 
anticipated  by  every  human  being  here,  and  each  raised  his 
heart  and  hands  towards  Heaven. 

The  chaplain,  who  was  now  on  the  quarter-deck,  gave  the 
people  general  absolution  for  their  sins,  and  then  repaired  to 
the  quarter-gallery  to  extend  it  yet  further,  to  those  miserable 
wretches,  who,  in  hopes  of  safety,  had  already  committed 
themselves  to  the  waves.  What  a  horrible  spectacle!  Self- 
preservation  was  the  only  object;  each  was  occupied  in  throw- 
ing overboard  whatever  promised  the  most  slender  chance  of 
escape,  yards,  spars,  lien-coops  and  everything  occurring,  was 
sei/cd  in  despair,  and  thus  employed. 

Dreadful  confusion  prevailed.  Some  leaped  into  the  sea, 
anticipating  that  death  which  was  about  to  reach  them;  oth- 
ers, more  successful,  swam  to  fragments  of  the  wreck;  while 
the  shrouds,  yards  and  ropes,  along  the  side  of  the  vessel, 
were  covered  with  the  crew  crowding  upon  them,  and  hang- 
ing there,  as  if  hesitating  which  alternative  of  destruction  to 
choose,  equally  imminent  and  equally  terrible. 

A  father  was  seen  to  snatch  his  son  from  the  flames,  fold 
him  to  his  breast,  and,  then  throwing  him  into  the  sea,  him- 
self' followed,  where  they  perished  in  each  other's  embrace. 

Meantime  Lieutenant  Fond  ordered  the  helm  to  be  shifted. 
The  ship  heeled  to  -larboard,  which  afforded  a  temporary 
preservation,  while  the  fire  raged  along  the  starboard  from 
stem  to  stern. 

Lieutenant  Fond  had,  until  this  moment,  been  engrossed  by 
nothing  but  adopting  every  means  to  preserve  the  ship;  now, 
howevrr,  the  horrors  of  impending  destruction  were  too  con- 
spicuously in  view.  His  fortitude,  notwithstanding,  through 
the  goodness  of  Heaven,  never  forsook  him;  looking  around, 
he  found  himself  alone  on  the  deck,  arid  he  retired  to  the  round- 
house. There  he  met  M.  de  la  Touch,  who  regarded  the  ap- 
proach of  death  with  the  same  heroism  which,  in  India,  had 
gained  him  celebrity  "  My  brother  and  'riend,"  he  cried, 


BURNING   OF   THE   PIUNCE.  253 

'  farewell.*-  "Whither  are  you  going?"  risked  Lieutenant 
Fond.  '^To  comfort  my  friend,  the  captain,"  he  replied. 

M.  l^orin,  who  commanded  this  unfortunate  vessel,  stood 
overwhelmed  with  grief  for  the  melancholy  state  of  his  female 
relatives,  passengers  along  with  him.  He  had  persuaded 
them  to  commit  themselves  to  the  waves  on  hen-coops,  while 
some  of  the  seamen,  swimming  with  one  hand,  endeavored  to 
support  them  with  the  other. 

The  floating  masts  and  yards  were  covered  with  men  strug- 
gling with  the  watery  element,  many  of  whom  now  perished 
by  halls  discharged  from  the  guns  as  heated  by  the  iire,  and 
thus  presenting  a  third  means  of  destruction,  augmenting  the 
horrors  environing  them.  While  anguish  pierced  the  heart  of 
M.  de  la  Fond,  he  withdrew  his  eyes  from  the  sea;  and  a  mo- 
ment after,  reaching  the  starboard  gallery,  he  saw  the  flames 
bursting  with  frightful  noise  through  the  windows  of  the 
round-house  and  of  the  great  cabin.  The  fire  approached, 
and  was  ready  to  consume  him.  Considering  it  vain  to  at- 
tempt the  further  preservation  of  the  ship,  or  the  lives  of  his 
fellow  sufferers,  he  thought  it  his  duty,  in  this  dreadful  condi- 
tion, to  save  himself  yet  a  few  hours,  that  these  might  be  de- 
voted to  Heaven. 

Stripping  off  his  clothes,  he  designed  slipping  down  a  yard, 
one  end  of  which  dipped  in  the  water;  but  it  was  so  covered 
with  miserable  beings,  shrinking  from  death,  that  he  tumbled 
over  them  and  fell  into  the  sea.  There  a  drowning  soldier 
caught  hold  of  him.  Lieutenant  Fond  made  every  exertion 
to  disengage  himself,  but  in  vain;  he  even  allowed  himself  to 
sink  below  the  surface,  yet  he  did  not  quit  his  grasp.  Lieu- 
,-enant  Fond  plunged  down  a  second  time;  stili  he  was  firmly 
held  by  the  man,  who  then  was  incapable  of  considering  that 
his  death,  instead  of  being  of  service,  would  rather  hasten 
his  own.  At  last,  after  struggling  a  considerable  time,  and 
swallowing  a  great  quantity  of  water,  the  soldier's  strength 
faited;  and  sensible  that  INI.  de  la  Fond  was  sinking  a  third 
time,  lie  dreaded  to  be  carried  down  along  with  him,  and  loosen- 
ed his  grasp,  no  sooner  was  this  done,  than  M.  de  la  Fond  to 
guard  against  a  repetition,  dived  below  the  surface,  and  rose 
at  a  distance  from  the  place. 

This  incident  rendered  him  more  cautious  for  the  future;  he 
even  avoided  the  dead  bodies,  now  so  numerous,  that  to  make 
a  free  passage,  he  was  compelled  to  shove  them  aside  with 
one  hand,  while  he  kept  himself  floating  with  the  other;  foi 


£54  BUUIUNO  OP    THE    FRIXCE, 

ho  was  impressed  with  the  apprehension,  that  each  was  a  per* 
son  wh  >  would  seize  him,  and  involve  him  in  his  own  destruc- 
tion. But  strength  beginning  to  fail,  he  was  satisfied  of  the 
necessity  of  some  respite,  when  he  fell  in  with  part  of  tho 
ensign-staff.  He  put  his  arm  through  a  noose  of  the  rope  to 
secure  it,  and  swam  as  well  as  he  could;  then  perceiving  a 
yard  at  hand,  he  seized  it  by  one  end.  However,  beholding 
a  young  man  scarce  able  to  support  himself  at  the  other  ex- 
tremity, he  quickly  abandoned  so  alight  an  aid,  and  one  which 
seemed  incapable  of  contributing  to  his  preseivation  Next 
the  spritsail-yard  appeared  in  view,  but  covereJ  with  people, 
among  whom  he  durst  not  take  a  place  without  requesting 
permission,  which  they  cheerfully  granted.  Some  were  quite 
naked,  others  in  nothing  except  their  shirts;  the  pity  they  ex- 
pressed at  the  situation  of  M.  de  la  Fond,  and  his  sense  of 
their  misfortunes,  exposed  his  feelings  to  a  severe  trial 

Neither  Captain  JMorin,  nor  M.  de  la  Touche  ever  quitted 
the  ship,  and  were  most  probably  overwhelmed  in  the  catas- 
trophe by  which  she  was  destroyed.  But  the  most  dismal 
spectacle  was  exhibited  on  all  sides;  the  main-mast,  consum- 
ed below,  had  been  precipitated  overboard,  killing  some  in  tho 
fall,  and  affording  a  temporary  reception  to  others.  M.  de  la 
Fond  now  observed  it  covered  with  people,  driven  about  by 
the  waves;  and  at  the  same  time,  seeing  two  seamen  buoyed 
up  by  a  hen-coop  and  some  planks,  desired  them  to  swim  to 
him  with  the  latter;  they  did  so,  accompanied  by  more  of 
their  comrades,  and  each  taking  a  plank,  which  were  used  for 
oars,  they  and  he  paddled  along  upon  the  yard,  until  gaining 
those  who  had  secured  themselves  on  the  main-mast.  So  ma- 
ny alternations  only  presented  new  spectacles  of  horror. 

The  chaplain  was  at  this  time  on  the  mast,  and  from  hire 
M.  do  la  Fond  received  absolution;  two  young  ladies  were  al- 
so there,  whose  piety  and  resignation  were  truly  consolatory; 
they  were  the  only  survivors  of  six,  their  companions  had 
perished  in  the  flames  or  in  the  sea.  Eighty  persons  had 
found  refuge  on  the  main-mast,  who,  from  the  repeated  dis- 
charge of  cannon  from  the  ship,  according  to  the  progress  of 
the  flames,  were  constantly  exposed  to  destruction.  The 
chaplain,  in  this  awful  condition,  by  his  discourse  and  exam- 
ple, taught  the  duty  of  resignation.  M.  de  la  Fond  observ- 
ing him  lose  his  hold  on  the  mast,  and  drop  into  the  sea,  lifted 
him  up.  "  Let  me  go,"  said  he  "  I  am  already  half  drowned, 
and  it  is  only  protracting  my  sufferings  " — "  No,  ray  friend," 


BURNING   07    THE    PRINCE.  £53 

the  lieutenant  replied,  "  when  my  strength  is  exhausted,  not 
till  then,  we  will  perish  together;"  and  in  his  pious  presence 
he  calmly  awaited  death.  After  remaining  here  three  hours, 
he  beheld  one  of  the  ladies  fall  from  the  mast  and  perish. — 
She  was  too  remote  to  receive  any  assistance  from  him. 

But  when  least  in  expectation  of  it,  he  saw  the  yawl  close 
at  hand,  at  five  in  the  afternoon.  He  cried  to  the  men  that 
he  was  their  lieutenant,  and  requested  to  be  allowed  to  parti- 
cipate in  their  fate.  His  presence  was  too  necessary  for  them 
to  refuse  his  solicitations,  they  needed  a  conductor  who  might 
guide  them  to  the  land;  thus  they  permitted  him  to  come  on 
board,  on  condition  that  he  should  swim  to  the  yawl.  This 
was  a  reasonable  stipulation;  it  was  to  avoid  approaching  the 
mast,  else,  the  rest  actuated  by  the  same  desire  of  self-preser- 
vation, would  soon  have  overloaded  the  little  vessel,  and  all 
would  have  been  buried  in  a  watery  grave.  M._  de  la  Fond, 
therefore,  summoning  up  all  his  strength  and  courage,  was  so 
happy  as  to  reach  the  seamen.  In  a  little  time  afterwards, 
the  pilot  and  master,  whom  he  had  left  on  the  mast,  followed 
hirf  example,  and  swimming  towards  the  yawl  were  seen  and 
taken  in. 

The  flames  still  continued  raging  in  the  vessel,  and  as  tho 
yawl  was  still  endangered  by  being  within  half  a  league  of 
her,  she  stood  a  little  to  windward.  Not  long  subsequent  to 
this,  the  fire  reached  the  magazine;  and  then  to  describe  the 
thundering  explosion  which  ensued  is  impossible.  A  thick 
cloud  intercepted  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  amidst  the  terrific 
darkness  nothing  but  pieces  of  flaming  timber,  projected  aloft 
into  the  air,  could  be  seen,  threatening  to  crush  to  atoms  in 
their  fall,  numbers  of  miserable  wretches  still  struggling  with 
the  agonies  of  death.  Nor  were  the  party  in  the  yawl  be- 
yond the  reach  of  hazard;  it  was  not  improbable  that  some  of 
the  fiery  fragments  might  come  down  upon  them,  and  precipi- 
tate their  frail  support  to  the  bottom.  Though  the  Almighty 
preserved  them  from  that  shocking  calamity,  they  were  shock- 
ed with  the  spectacle  environing  them.  The  vessel  had  now 
disappeared;  the  sea,  to  a  great  distance,  was  covered  with 
pieces  of  the  wreck,  intermingled  with  the  bodies  of  those 
unhappy  creatures  who  had  perished  by  theirfall.  Some  were 
seen  who  had  been  choked,  others  mangled,  half  consumed 
and  still  retaining  life  enough  to  be  sensible  of  the  accumu- 
lated horrors  overwhelming  them. 

The  fortitude  of  M   de  la  Fond  was  still  preserved,  through 


256  BURNING   OF   THE    FR1NCK. 

thfi  favour  of  Fleaven,  and  he  proposed  approaching  the 
wreck,  to  see  whether  any  provisions  or  necessary  articles 
might  be  picked  up.  He  and  his  companions  being  totally  de- 
void of  every  tiling,  were  exposed  to  the  hazard  of  a  death 
even  more  painful  than  that  which  the  others  had  suffer- 
ed, in  perishing  of  famine.  But  finding  several  barrels,  which 
they  hoped  might  contain  something  to  relieve  their  necessi- 
ties, they  experienced  great  mortification,  on  ascertaining  that 
they  were  part  of  the  powder  that  had  been  thrown  overboard 
during  the  conflagration  of  their  unfortunate  vessel. 

As  night  approached,  they  providentially  discovered  a  cask 
of  brandy,  about  fifteen  pounds  of  salt  pork,  a  piece  of  scar- 
let cloth,  twenty  yards  of  linen,  a  dozen  of  pipe  staves,  and 
a  small  quantity  of  cordage.  When  it  became  dark  they 
durst  not  venture  to  retain  their  present  station  until  day-light 
without  being  endangered  by  the  wreck,  from  the  fragments 
of  which  they  had  not  then  been  able  to  disengage  themselves. 
Therefore  they  rowed  as  quickly  away  as  possible  from  among 
them,  and  bent  all  their  care  to  the  management  of  the  yawl. 

The  whole  began  to  labor  assiduously,  and  every  article 
which  could  be  converted  to  use  was  employed;  the  lining  of 
the  boat  was  tore  up  for  the  sake  of  the  planks  and  nails;  a 
seaman  luckily  had  two  needles,  and  the  linen  afforded  what- 
ever thread  was  necessary;  the  piece  of  scarlet  cloth  was 
substituted  for  a  sail;  an  oar  was  erected  for  a  mast,  and  a 
plank  served  for  a  rudder.  The  equipment  of  the  boat  was  soon 
completed,  notwithstanding  the  darkness  of  the  night,  at  least 
as  well  as  circumstances  wouM  allow.  Yet  a  groat  difficulty 
remained,  for  wanting  charts  and  instruments,  and  being  near- 
ly two  hundred  leagues  from  land,  the  party  felt  at  a  loss  what 
course  to  steer.  Resigning  themselves  to  the  Almighty,  they 
offered  up  fervent  prayers  lor  his  direction 

At  length  the  sail  was  hoisted,  and  a  favorable  breeze  soon 
wafted  M.  de  la  Fond  from  amidst  the  bodies  of  Ins  miserable 
comrades 

Eight  days  and  nights  the  adventurers  advanced  without 
Bering  land;  naked  and  exposed  to  the  scorching  heat  of  the 
sun  by  day,  and  to  intense  cold  by  night.  Rut  to  relieve  the 
thirst  which  parched  them,  they  availed  themselves  of  a  show- 
er of  rain,  falling  on  the  sixth,  and  tried  to  catch  a  little  of  it 
in  their  mouths  and  with  their  hands.  They  sucked  the  sail, 
which  was  wet  with  the  rain,  but  from  being  previously  drench- 
ed with  sea  water,  it  imparted  a  bitterness  to  the  fresh  water 


OP    TT!E  PRINCK.  461 

which  it  received.  However,  they  did  not  complain,  for  had 
ie  rain  been  heavier,  it  might  have  lulled  the  wind,  in  the 
continuance  of  which  they  rested  their  hopes  of  safety. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  proper  course,  the  adventurers 
paid  daily  observance  to  the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun  and 
moon,  and  the  position  of  the  stars  pointed  out  how  they 
should  steer.  All  their  sustenance  in  the  meantime  was  a 
small  piece  of  pork  once  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  this  they 
were  even  obliged  to  relinquish  on  the  fourth  day,  from  the 
heat  and  irr'tation  it  occasioned  of  their  bodies.  Their  bev- 
erage was  a  glass  of  brandy  taken  from  time  to  time,  but 't  in- 
flamed their  stomachs  without  assuaging  the  thirst  that  con- 
sumed them.  Abundance  of  flying  fish  were  seen;  the  im- 
possibility of  catching  any  of  which  only  augmented  the  pain 
already  endured,  though  M.  de  la  Fond  and  his  companions 
tried  to  reconcile  themselves  to  the  scanty  pittance  that  they 
possessed.  Yet  the  uncertainty  of  their  destiny,  the  want 
of  subsistance,  and  the  turbulance  of  the  ocean,  all  contribu- 
ted to  deprive  them  of  repose,  which  they  so  much  required, 
and  almost  plunged  them  in  despair.  Nothing  but  a  feeble 
ray  of  hope  preserved  them  under  their  accumulated  suffer- 
ings- 

The  eight  night  was  passed  by  M.  de  la  Fond  at  the  helm; 
there  he  had  remained  above  ten  hours,  after  soliciting  relief, 
and  at  last  sunk  down  under  fatigue.  His  miserable  compan- 
ions were  equally  exhausted,  and  despair  began  to  overwhelm 
the  whole. 

At  last  when  the  united  calamities  of  hunger,  thirst,  fatigue 
and  misery,  predicted  speedy  annihilation,  the  dawn  of  Wed- 
nesday, the  3d  of  August,  shewed  this  unfortunate  crew 
the  distant  land.  None  but  those  who  have  experienced  the 
like  situation,  can  form  any  adequate  idea  of  the  change 
which  was  produced.  Their  strength  was  renovated,  and  they 
were  aroused  to  precautions  against  being  drifted  away  by  the 
current.  They  reached  the  coast  of  Brazil,  in  latitude  6 
south,  and  entered  Tresson  Bay. 

The  first  object  of  M.  de  la  Fond  and  his  companions  was 
to  return  thanks  for  the  gracious  protection  of  Heaven;  they 
prostrated  themselves  on  the  ground,  and  then  in  the  trans- 
port of  joy  rolled  among  the  sand. 

They  exhibited  the  most  frightful  appearance;  nothing  hu- 
man characterized  them,  which  did  not  announce  their  misfor- 
tune in  glaring  colors.  Some  were  quite  naked;  others  had 
tmly  shirts,  rotten  and  torn  to  rags.  M.  de  la  Fond  had  fast- 


BURNING    OF    THE    FRIXCE. 

ened  a  piece  of  the  scarlet  cloth  about  his  waist,  in  order  to 
appear  at  the  head  of  his  companions.  Though  rescued  from 
imminent  danger,  they  had  still  to  contend  with  hunger  and 
thirst,  and  remained  in  ignorance  whether  they  should  meet 
men  endowed  with  humanity  in  that  region. 

While  deliberating  on  the  course  they  should  follow,  about 
fifty  Portuguese  of  the  settlement,  there  established,  advanced 
and  inquired  the  cause  of  their  presence.  Their  inisfo'-ti'iiea 
were  soon  explained,  and  the  recital  of  thorn  proved  a  suffi- 
cient claim  for  supplying  their  wants  Deeply  affected  bv  tlie 
account  now  given,  the  Portuguese  congratulated  themselves 
that  it  had  fallen  to  their  lot  to  relieve  the  strangers,  and  speedi- 
ly led  them  to  their  dwellings.  On  the  way  the  seamen  were 
rejoiced  at  the  sight  of  a  river,  into  which  they  threw  them- 
selves, plunging  in  the  water,  and  drinking  copious  draughts 
of  it  to  allay  their  thirst.  Afterwards  frequent  bathing  prov- 
ed one  of  the  best  restoratives  of  health,  to  which  they  al  re- 
soled. 

The  chi&f  man  of  the  place  next  came,  and  conducted  M. 
de  la  Fond  and  his  companions  to  his  house,  about  a  half  a 
league  distant  from  the  spot  where  they  landed.  lie  charita- 
bly supplied  them  with  linen  shirts  and  trowsers,  and  boiled 
some  fish,  the  water  of  which  was  relished  as  delicious  broth. 
Though  sleep  was  equally  necessary  as  this  frugal  fare,  the 
survivors  having  learned  that  there  was  a  church  within  half 
a  league,  dedicated  to  St  Michael,  repaired  thither  to  render 
thanks  to  Heaven  for  their  miraculous  preservation.  Tho 
badness  of  the  road  induced  such  fatigue  as  compelled  them 
to  rest  in  the  village  where  it  stood,  and  there  the  narrative 
of  their  misfortunes,  added  to  the  piety  which  they  exhibited, 
attracted  the  notice  of  the  inhabitants,  all  of  whom  hastened 
to  minister  something  to  their  necessities.  After  remaining  a 
short  interval  they  returned  to  their  host,  who  at  night  kindly 
contributed  another  repast  of  fish.  Something  more  invigo- 
rating, however,  being  required  by  people  who  had  endured 
so  much,  they  purchased  an  ox  for  a  quantity  of  the  brandy 
that  had  been  saved  from  the  wreck. 

Paraibo  was  distant  fifteen  leagues,  and  they  had  to  set  out 
barefoot,  and  with  little  chance  of  finding  suitable  provisions 
on  the  journev. 

Thus  they  smoke-dried  their  present  store,  and  added  a  lit- 
tle flour  to  it.  In  three  davs they  began  to  march,  and,  un- 
der an  escort  of  three  soldiers,  advanced  seven  leagues  the 
first  day,  when  they  were  hospitably  received  by  a  person, 


WRECK    OV    THB    SCHOONER    BETSEY.  258 

and  passed  the  night  in  his  house.  On  the  following  evening, 
a  serjeant  and  twenty-nine  men  arrived  to  conduct  them  to  the 
commandant  of  the  fortress,  who  gave  them  a  friendly  recep- 
tion, afforded  them  supplies,  and  provided  -.  boat  to  carry  them 
'o  Paraibo.  About  midnight  they  reached  the  town,  where  a 
Portuguese  captain  attended  to  present  them  to  the  governor, 
from  whom  also  they  experienced  the  like  attention.  Being 
anxious  to  reach  Fernambuc,  to  take  advantage  of  a  Portu- 
guese fleet,  daily  expected  to  sail  for  Europe,  the  governor,  in 
three  days  more,  ordered  a  corporal  to  conduct  the  party  thith- 
er. But  at  ihis  time  M.  de  la  Fond' s  feet  were  so  cruelly 
wounded,  he  was  scarce  able  to  stand,  and  on  that  account 
was  supplied  with  a  horse.  In  four  days  he  arrived  at  Fer- 
nambuc, where,  from  different  naval  and  military  officers,  he 
met  with  the  utmost  attention  and  consideration;  he  and  all 
his  companions  got  a  passage  to  Europe  in  the  fleet. 

]\1  «ie  la  Fond  sailed  on  the  5th  of  October,  and  reached 
Lisbon  in  safety  on  the  17th  of  December;  thence  he  procur- 
ed a  passage  to  Morlaix,  where  having  rested  a  few  days  to 
recruit  his  strength,  he  repaired  to  Port  L'Orient,  with  his 
health  greatly  injured  by  the  calamities  he  had  suffered,  and 
reduced  to  a  state  of  pover'y,  having  after  twenty-eight  years 
service,  lost  all  he  had  in  the  world. 

By  this  deplorable  catastrophe,  nearly  three  hundred  per- 
sons perished. 


WRECK  OF  THE  SCHOONER  BETSEY, 

ON    A    REEF    OP    ROCKS. 

The  Betsey,  a  small  schooner  of  about  75  tons  burden,  sail 
ed  from  Macao  in  China,  for  New  South  Wales,  on  the  10th 
of  November,  1805.     Her  compliment  consiste.    of  William 
Brooks,  'commander,  Edward  Luttrell,  mate,  one  Portuguese 


260  TfRECK    OF    THE    SCHOONER    BKTtBT. 

geacunny,  three  Manilla  and  four  Chinese  Lascars.  No  in 
cident  worthy  of  commemoration  happened  from  the  10th  to 
20th  of  November.  Next  day,  when  the  vessel  was  going  at 
the  rate  of  seven  kn  >!s  and  a  half  an  hour,  she  struck  op  n 
reef  of  rocks  at  half  past  two  in  the  morning,  while  in  nori^ 
latitude  9  48,  and  1 14  14  east  longitude.  The  boat  was  in 
stantly  let  down,  and  a  small  anchor  sent  astern,  but  on  heav 
ing,  the  cable  parted,  and  both  were  lost.  The  people  next 
endeavored  to  construct  a  raft  of  the  water  casks,  but  ne 
swell  proved  so  great  that  they  found  it  impossible  to  accom- 
plish their  purpose.  At  day-break  they  found  that  the  vesse 
had  forged  four  or  five  miles  on  the  reef,  which  they  now  dis- 
covered extended  nine  or  ten  miles  to  the  south,  and  four  or 
five  east  and  west;  and  there  were  only  two  feet  water  where 
she  lay.  During  three  days  and  nights,  the  utmost  exertions 
were  made  to  get  her  off  without  avail,  and  the  crew  had  then 
become  so  w&akened  that  they  could  scarce  be  persuaded  to 
construct  a  raft. 

The  vessel  now  had  bulged  on  the  starboard  side.  But  a 
raft  being  made  on  the  24th,  the  people  lett  her  with  the  jolly- 
boat  in  company,  and  steered  for  Balambangan.  Captain 
Brooks,  the  mate,  the  gunner  and  two  seacunnies  were  in  the 
latter,  where  their  whole  provision  consisted  of  only  a  small 
bag  of  biscuit;  and  on  the  raft  were  the  Portuguese,  four  Chi- 
nese and  three  Malays,  but  much  better  provided. 

The  boat  and  the  raft  parted  company  on  the  same  day,  as 
a  brisk  gale  arose  from  the  westward,  and  the  raft  was  never 
heard  of  more;  but  it  was  conjectured  to  have  probably  drift- 
ed on  the  island  of  Borneo, "which  then  bore  south-east.  The 
gale  continued  from  the  north-west  until  the  28th  of  the 
month,  accompanied  by  a  mountainous  sea,  and  then  ceased. 
By  this  time  the  fresh  water  taken  into  the  boat  was  complete- 
ly expended,  and  all  the  biscuit  that  remained  was  wet  with  salt 
water. 

On  the  29th  at  day-break,  land  came  in  view,  which  was 
supposed  to  be  Balabac;  the  people  were  now  nearly  exhaust- 
ed by  rowing  under  a  burning  sun,  and  while  a  perfect  calm 
prevailed;  and  they  were  besides  reduced  to  such  extremity 
as  to  drink  their  own  urine.  It  blew  so  hard  in  the  night  that 
they  were  obliged  to  bear  up  for  Bangay,the  north-west  point 
of  which  they  discovered  next  morning  at  day-break.  Going 
ashore  thev  .nstantly  made  a  search  for  fresh  water,  whicn 
thev  soon  '^und,  and  considering  what  they  had  suffered  from 
thirst,  it  u  no  wonder  that  they  drank  to  excess.  WWe 


WRECK    CP    THE    SCHOONER    BETSEY.          .  481 

ling  into  the  woods  in  quest  of  fruit,  two  Malays  met  them,  to 
whom  they  made  signs  that  they  wanted  food,  and  these  being 
understood,  the  Malays  went  away,  and  in  the  afternoon  re- 
turned with  two  cocoa-nuts  and  a  few  sweet  potatoes,  which 
they  gave  in  exchange  for  a  silver  spoon. 

Night  approaching,  the  people  returned  to  their  boat. — 
Next  morning  five  Malays  made  their  appearance,  bringing 
some  Indian  corn  and  potatoes,  which  were  exchanged  for 
spoons  as  before.  These  people  pointed  to  Balambangan,  and 
endeavored  to  make  the  party  comprehend  that  sometime  ago 
the  English  had  abandoned  the  settlement.  A  new  supply  of 
provision  was  promised  next  morning;  therefore  the  party  re- 
tired with'their  little  stock,  and  attended  at  the  appointed  time 
to  receive  more.  Eleven  Malays  then  appeared  on  the  beach; 
but  after  a  little  conversation  on  landing,  one  of  them  threw 
a  spear  at  Captain  Brooks,  which  penetrated  his  belly,  anoth- 
er made  a  cut  at  Mr.  Lattrel,  who  parried  it  off  with  a  cutlass, 
and  ran  to  the  boat.  Captain  Brooks  withdrew  the  spear 
from  his  body,  and  also  ran  a  short  distance,  but  the  inhuman 
assassins  followed  him  and  cut  off  both  his  legs.  The  gunner 
also  was  severely  wounded,  and  reached  the  boat  covered  with 
blood,  while  the  party  at  the  same  time,  saw  the  Malays  strip- 
ping the  dead  body  of  Captain  Brooks;  and  in  about  fifteen 
minutes  afterwards  the  gunner  expired 

The  survivors  immediately  made  sail,  and  then  examined 
into  the  state  of  their  provisions,  which  they  found  consisted 
of  ten  cobs  of  Indian  corn,  three  pumpk'ns,  and  two  bottles 
of  water.  Trusting  to  the  mercy  of  Providence,  they  with 
this,  determined  on  shaping  their  course  for  the  straits  of 
Malacca. 

No  particular  occurrence  happened  in  the  course  of  the 
voyage  from  the  fourth  to  the  fourteenth  of  December;  fre- 
quent showers  had  fortunately  supplied 'them  with  fresh  water, 
but  they  were  nearly  exhausted  by  constant  watching  and 
hunger. 

On  the  15th  they  fell  m  with  a  groupe  of  islands,  in  3  of 
north  latitude,  and  about  100  degrees  of  east  longitude,  and 
approached  the  shore.  But  being  descried  by  two  Malay 
prows,  they  were  immediately  attacked,  and  one  of  the  sea- 
cunnies  was  run  through  with  a  spear  and  died  instantly, 
while  the  other  was  also  wounded.  Mr.  Luttrel,  the  mate, 
had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  a  spear  piercing  through  hia 
hat.  The  party  being  thus  overpowerd,  the  Malays  took  pos- 
session of  their  boat  and  immediately  seized  on  all  their  prop 


262  EARLY    AMERICAN    HEROISM. 

erty,  a  sextant,  their  log-book,  some  plate  and  clothes  They 
were  themselves  kept  in  a  prow,  without  any  covering,  and 
exposed  to  the  scorching  heat  of  the  sun,  with  an  allowance 
of  only  a  small  quantity  of  sago  during  three  days.  After 
that  time  they  were  carried  ashore  to  the  house  of  a  rajah,  on 
an  island  called  Sube,  where  they  remained  in  a  state  of  sla- 
very, entirely  naked,  and  subsisting  on  sago,  until  the  20th  of 
April.  The  Rajah  sailed  on  that  day  in  a  prow  for  Rhio, 
taking  Mr.  Luttrel  and  the  two  other  survivors  along  with 
him,  and  arrived  there  nearly  famished,  after  a  tedious  pas- 
sage of  twenty-five  days. 

Here  their  distresses  were  alleviated  by  Mr.  Koek  of  Ma- 
lacca, who  treated  them  in  the  kindest  manner;  and  the  ship 
Kandree,  commanded  by  Captain  Williamson,  arriving  next 
day,  they  obtained  a  passage  m  her  for  Malacca 


EARLY  AMERICAN  HEROISM. 

During  one  of  the  former  wars,  between  Frarce  and  Eng- 
land, in  which  the  then  Colonies  bore  an  active  part,  a  re- 
spectable individual,  a  member  of  the  society  of  Friends,  of  the 

name  of ,  commanded  a  line  ship  which  sailed  from  an 

Eastern  port,  to  a  portliT  wigland.  This  vessel  had  a  strong 
and  effective  crew,  but  was  totally  unarmed.  When  near  her 
destined  port,  she  was  chased,  and  ultimately  overhauled,  by 
a  Fre::ch  vessel  of  war.  Her  commander  used  every  en- 
deavcr  to  escape,  but  seeing  from  the  superior  sailing  of  the 
Frenchman,  that  his  capture  was  inevitable,  he  quietly  retired 
below  :  he  was  followed  into  the  cabin  by  his  cabin  boy,  a 
youth  of  activity  and  enterprise,  named  Charles  Wager  :  he 
asked  his  commander  if  nothing  more  could  be  done  to  save 
the  ship — his  commander  replied  that  it  was  impossible,  thai 
every  thing  had  been  done  that  was  practicable,  there  was 
no  escape  for  them,  and  they  must  submit  to  be  captured. 
Charles  then  returned  upon  deck  and  suinniOiH.-d  the  crew 
ti  him — he  stated  iu  a  few  words  what  was  their  captain'f 


EARLY    AMERICAN    HEROISM.  2h3 

conclusion — then,  \vith  an  elevation  of  mind,  dictated  by  a 
soul  formed  for  enterprise  and  noble  daring,  he  observed,  "  if 
you  will  place  yourselves  under  my  command,  and  stand  by 
me,  I  have  conceived  a  plan  by  wnicn  ihe  ship  may  be  rescu 
ed,  and  we  in  turn  become  the  conquerors  ''  The  sailors  no 
doubt  feeling  the  ardor,  and  inspired  by  the  courage  of  their 
youthful  and  gallant  leader,  agreed  to  place  themselves  under 
his  command.  His  plan  was  communicated  to  them,  and  they 
awaited  with  firmness,  the  moment  to  carry  their  enterprise 
into  eflect.  The  suspense  was  of  short  duration,  for  the 
Frenchman  was  quickly  alongside,  and  grappled  to  the  mer- 
chant ship.  As  Charles  had  anticipated,  the  exhilarated  con- 
querors, elated  beyond  measure,  with  the  acquisition  of  so  fine 
a  prize,  poured  into  his  vessel  cheering  and  huzzaing  ;  and 
not  foreseeing  any  danger,  they  left  but  few  men  on  board 
their  ship.  I\ow  was  the  momrnt  fur  Charles,  who,  giving  his 
men  the  signal,  sprang  at  their  head  on  board  the  opposing 
vessel,  while  some  seized  the  arms  which  had  been  l°fl  in  pro- 
fusion on  her  deck,  and  with  which  they  soon  overpowered  the 
few  men  left  on  board  ;  the  otheis,  by  a  simultaneous  move- 
ment, relieved  her  from  the  grapplings  which  united  the  two 
vessels.  Our  hero  now  having  the  command  of  the  French  ves- 
sel, seized  the  helm,  and  placing  her  out  of  hoarding  distance, 
hailed,  with  the  voice  of  a  conqueror,  the  discomfited  crowd 
of  Frenchmen  who  were  left  on  board  of  the  peaceful  bark 
he  had  just  quitted,  and  summoned  them  to  follow  close  in  hig 
wake,  or  he  would  blow  them  out  of  water,  (a  threat  they  well 
knew  he  was  very  capable  of  executing,  as  their  guns  were 
loaded  during  the  chase.)  They  sorrowfully  acquiesced  with 
his  commands,  while  gallant  Charles  steered  into  port,  fol- 
lowed by  his  prize.  The  exploit  excited  universal  applause 
— the  former  master  ofthe  merchant  vessel  was  examined  by  the 
Admiralty,  when  he  stated  the  whole  of  the  enterprise  as  it  oc- 
curred, and  declared  that  Ch-a'-les  Wager  had  planned  and  ef- 
fected the  gallant  exploit,  and  that  to  him  alone  belonged  the 
honor  and  credit  of  the  achievement.  Charles  was  immedi- 
ately transferred  to  the  British  navy,  appointed  a  midshipman, 
and  his  education  carefully  superintended.  He  soon  after  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  action,  and  underwent  a  rapid  promotion, 
until  at  length  he  was  created  an  Admiral,  and  known  as  Sir 
Charles  Wager.  It  is  said  that  he  always  held  in  veneration 
and  esteem,  that  respectable  and  conscientious  Friend,  whose 
cabin  boy  he  had  been,  and  transmitted  yearly  to  his  OLD 
MASTER,  as  he  termed  I.irn,  a  handsome  present  <  f  Madeira,  to 
cheer  his  declining  days. 


•M 


CATE 


FINGAL'S   CAVE. 

The  most  magnificent  of  all  known  caverns,  is  that  calico 
Fingal's  Cave,  in  the  Isle  of  Staffa,  on  the  western  coast  of 
Scotland.  Its  length  is  370  feet ;  and  the  height  at  the  en 
trance  of  the  cave  is  117  feet. 

Thousands  of  majestic  columns  of  basalts  support  a  lofty 
roof,  under  which  the  sea  rolls  its  waves,  while  the  vastnesa 
of  the  entrance  allows  the  light  of  day  to  penetrate  the  va- 
rious recesses  of  the  cave. 

The  mind,  says  Mr.  Pennant,  can  hardly  form  an  idea  more 
magnificent  than  such  a  space,  supported  on  each  side  by 
ranges  of  columns,  and  roofed  by  the  bottom  of  those  which 
have  been  broken  off  in  order  to  form  it,  between  the  angles 
of  which  a  yellow  stalagmatic  matter  has  exuded,  which  serve? 
to  define  the  angles  precisely,  and,  at  the  same  time,  vary  the 
color  with  a  great  deal  of  elegance.  To  render  it  still  more 
agreeable,  the  whole  is  lighted  from  without,  so  that  the  far- 
thest extremity  is  very  plainly  seen  ;  and  the  air  within,  being 
agitated  by  the  flux  and  reflux  of  the  tides  is  perfectly  whole- 
some, and  free  from  the  damp  vapors  with  which  cavern.' 
generally  abound. 


THE    LOSS   07   THE    RAMILUM  267 


THE  LOSS  OF  THE  RAM1LLIES       - 

IN    THE    ATLANTIC    OCEAN 

Admiral  (afterwards  Lord)  Graves  having  requested  leave 
to  return  to  England  in  I78~,  was  appointed  by  Lord  Rodney 
to  command  the  convoj  sent  home  with  the  numerous  fleet  of 
merchantmen  from  the  V\rest  Indies  in  the  month  of  July. — 
He  accordingly  hoisted  his  flag  on  hoard  the  Kamillies  of  74 
guns,  and  sailed  on  the  25th  from  Blue  Fields,  having  under 
his  orders  the  Canada  and  Centaur  of  74  guns  each,  the  Pal- 
las frigate  of  36  guns,  and  the  following  French  slnps,  taken 
by  Lord  Rodney  and  Sir  Samuel  Hood,  out  of  the  arnvunent 
commanded  hy  the  Count  de  Grassc,  viz.  the  Ville  do  I'aris, 
of  1 10  guns;  the  Glorieux  and  Hector,  of  74  guns  each;  the 
Ardent,  Caton  and  Jason,  of  6  guns  each.  Those  which 
were  originally  British  ships  had  heen  in  so  many  actions, 
and  so  long  al>sent  from  England,  as  to  have  become  extreme- 
ly out. of  condition,  while  that  of  the  prizes  was  still  more  de- 
plorahle,  and  the  following  authentic  account  of  the  various 
disasters  which  attended  this  distressed  convoy  will  he  found 
equally  melancholy  and  interesting. 

Soon  alter  the  fleet  had  sailed,  the  officers  of  (he  Ardent 
united  in  signing  such  a  representation  of  her  miserable  plight 
as  induced  Admiral  Graves  to  order  her  hack  lo  Port  Royal, 
and  the  Jason,  hy  not  putting  to  sea  with  the  convoy,  from 
want  of  water,  never  joined  him  at  all.  The  rest.proceeded, 
and  after  those  vessels  that  were  hound  for  New  York  had 
separated,  the  whole  convoy  was  reduced  to  ninety-two  or 
three  sail. 

On  Cite  8th  of  September  the  Caton  springing  a  leak,  made 
such  a.'arming  complaints,  that  the  Admiral  directed  her  and 
the  Pallas,  also  htcorne  leaky,  to  bear  away  immediately,  and 
keep  company  together,  making  for  Halifax,  which  then  bore 
No.th-North  West  and  was  but  eighty-seven  leagues  dis- 
tant. 

Th«  afternoon  of  the  16th  of  September  shewing  'ndica- 
tious  of  a  gale  and  foul  weather  from  the  south-east  quarter, 


t6B  THX    LOM   Or   THE    RAMILLIEI. 

every  preparation  was  made  on  board  the  flag-ship  for  such 
an  event,  not  cnly  on  account  of  her  own  safety,  but  also  aa 
an  example  to  the  rest  of  the  fleet.  The  Admiral  collected 
the  ships  about  six  o'clock,  and  brought  to  under  his  main- 
sail on  the  larboard  tack,  having  all  his  other  sails  furled,  and 
his  top-gallant  yards  and  masts  lowered  down. 

The  wind  soon  increasing,  blew  strong  from  the  E.  S.  E 
with  a  very  heavy  sea,  and  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing of  the  17th  flew  suddenly  round  to  the  contrary  fioint, 
blowing  most  tremendously,  and  accompanied  with  rain.  ,hun- 
der  and  lightning;  the  Ramillies  was  taken  by  the  lee.  her 
main-sail  thrown  back,  her  main-mast  went  by  the  board,  and 
mizen-mast  half  way  up;  the  fore-top  mast  fell  over  the  star- 
board bow,  the  fore-yard  broke  in  the  slings,  the  tiller  snap- 
ped in  two,  and  the  rudder  was  nearly  torn  off.  Thus  was 
this  capital  ship,  from  being  in  perfect  order,  reduced,  within 
a  few  minutes  to  a  mere  wreck,  by  the  fury  of  the  blast  and 
the  violence  of  the  sea,  which  acted  in  opposition  to  each 
other.  The  ship  was  pooped,  the  cabin,  where  the  Admiral 
lay  was  flooded,  his  cot-bed  jerked  down  by  the  violence  of 
the  shock  and  the  ship's  instantaneous  revulsion,  so  that  h« 
was  obliged  to  pull  on  his  boots  half  leg  deep  in  water,  with- 
out any  stocking?.,  to  huddle  on  his  wet  clothes,  and  repair 
upon  deck.  On  his  first  coming  thither,  he  ordered  two  of 
the  lieutenants  to  examine  into  the  state  of  the  affairs  below, 
and  to  keep  a  sufficient  number  of  people  at  the  pumps,  while 
he  himself  and  the  captain  kept  the  deck,  to  encourage  the 
men  to  clear  away  the  wreck,  which,  by  its  constant  swinging 
•backwards  and  forwards  by  every  wave  against  the  body  of 
the  ship,  had  beaten  off  much  of  the  copper  from  the  starboard 
side,  and  exposed  the  seams  so  much  to  the  sea  that  the  de- 
cayed oakum  washed  out,  and  the  whole  frame  became  at 
once  exceedingly  porous  and  leaky. 

At  dawn  of  day  they  perceived  a  large  ship  lying  unde; 
their  lee,  lying  upon  her  side,  water-logged,  her  hands  at- 
tempting to  wear  her  by  first  cutting  away  the  mizen-mast, 
and  then  her  main-mast;  hoisting  her  ensign,  with  the  union 
downwards  in  order  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  fleet;  but  to 
no  purpose,  for  no  succour  could  be  given,  and  she  very  soon 
went  down  head  fore-most,  the  fly  of  her  ensign  being  the 
last  thing  visible.  This  was  the  Button,  formerly  an  East 
Indiaman,  and  then  a  store-ship,  commanded  by  a  lieutenant  of 
the  navy,  who  in  his  agitation,  leaped  from  her  deck  into  the 
sea;  but,  as  might  be  expected,  was  very  soon  overwhelmed 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    RAMILMES.  369 

i»y  its  billows.  Twelve  or  thirteen  of  the  crew  contrived, 
however,  to  slide  off  one  of  the  boats,  and  running  with  the 
wind,  first  endeavored  to  reach  a  large  ship  before  them, 
which,  not  being  able  to  fetch,  and  afraid  of  filling  if  they  at- 
tempted to  haul  up  for  the  purpose,  they  made  up  for  another 
ship  more  to  the  leeward,  who  fortunately  descrying  them, 
threw  a  number  of  ropes,  by  the  help  of  which  these  desper- 
ate fellows  scrambled  up  her  sides,  and  fortunately  saved  their 
,ives.  Out  of  ninety-four  or  five  sail,  seen  the  day  before, 
scarcely  twenty  could  now  be  counted;  of  the  ships  of  war, 
there  were  discerned  the  Canada,  half  hull  down  upon  the 
lee-quarter,  having  her  main-top-mast  and  mizen-mast  gone, 
the  main-top  damaged,  the  main-yard  aloft,  and  the  main-sail 
furled;  the  Centaur  was  far  to  windward,  without  masts,  bow- 
sprit or  rudder;  and  the  Glorieux  without  foremast,  bowsprit 
or  main-top-mast.  Of  these  the  two  latter  perished  with  all 
their  crews,  excepting  the  captain  of  the  Centaur,  and  a  few 
of  his  people,  who  contrived  to  slip  off  her  stern  into  one  of 
the  boats  unnoticed,  and  thus  escaped  the  fate  of  the  rest  of 
the  crew. 

The  Ville  de  Paris  appeared  to  have  received  no  injury, 
and  was  commanded  by  a  most  experienced  seaman,  who  had 
made  twenty-four  voyages  to  and  from  the  West  Indies,  and 
had,  therefore,  been  pitched  upon  to  lead  the  ship  through  the 
Gulf;  nevertheless,  she  was  afterwards  buried  in  the  ocean 
with  all  on  board  her,  consisting  of  above  eight  hundred  peo- 
ple. Of  the  convoy,  besides  the  Dutton,  before  mentioned, 
and  the  British  Queen,  seven  others  were  discovered  without 
mast  or  bowsprit;  eighteen  lost  masts  and  several  others  had 
foundered. 

In  the  course  of  this  day  the  Canada  crossed  upon  and 
passed  the  Ramillies;  some  of  the  trade  attempted  to  follow 
ihe  Canada,  but  she  ran  at  such  a  rate  that  they  soon  found 
it  to  be  in  vain,  and  then  returned  towards  the  flag-ship;  the 
Ramillies  had  at  this  time  six  feet  water  in  her  hold,  and  the 
pumps  would  not  free  her,  the  water  having  worked  out  the 
oakum,  and  her  beams  amid-ship  being  almost  drawn  from 
their  clamps. 

The  admiral,  therefore,  gave  orders  for  all  the  buckets  to 
be  manned,  and  every  officer  to  help  towards  freeing  the  ship; 
the  mizen-top-sail  was  set  upon  the  fore-mast,  the  main-top- 
gallant-sail on  the  stump  of  the  mizen-mast,  and  the  tiller 
shipped.  In  this  condition,  by  bearing  away,  she  scudded  oo 
at  so  good  a  rate  that  she  held  pace  with  some  of  the  mer 
chantmen. 


270  THE    LOSS   OP   THE   RAMILLIE3 

The  day  having  been  spent  in  bailing  and  pumping,  without 
materially  gaining  on  the  water,  the  captain  in  the  name  of 
the  officers,  represented  to  the  admiral  the  necessity  of  part- 
ing with  the  guns  for  the  relief  of  the  ship,  but  he  objected, 
that  there  would  then  be  left  no  protection  for  the  convoy. — 
At  length,  however,  after  great  difficulty,  he  consented  to 
their  disposing  of  the  fore-castle  and  after-most  quarter-deck 
guns,  together  with  some  of  the  shot,  and  other  articles  of 
very  great  weight.  The  ensuing  night  was  employed  in  bail- 
ing and  endeavoring  to  make-the  pumps  useful,  lor  the  ballast 
by  getting  into  the  well,  had  choked  and  rendered  them  use- 
less, and  the  chains  had  broken  every  time  they  were  repair- 
ed. The  water  had  risen  to  seven  feet  in  the  hold  The  wind 
from  the  westward  drove  a  vast  sea  before  it,  and  the  ship  be- 
ing old,  strained  most  violently 

On  the  morning  of  the  18th  nothing  could  be  seen  of  the 
Canada,  she  having  pushed  on  at  her  greatest  speed  for  Eng- 
land. The  frame  of  the  Ramillies  having  opened  during  the 
night,  the  admiral  was  prevailed  -upon,  by  the  renewed  and 
pressing  remonstrances  of  the  officers,  although  with  great 
reluctance,  to  let  six  of  the  forwardmost  and  four  of  the  after- 
most guns  cf  the  main-deck  to  be  thrown  overboard,  together 
with  the  remainder  of  those  on  the  quarter-deck;  and  the  ship 
still  continuing  to  open  very  much,  he  ordered  tarred  canvas 
and  hides  to  be  nailed  fore  and  aft  from  under  the  sills  of  the 
ports  on  the  main-deck  under  the  fifth  plank  above,  or  within 
the  water-ways,  and  the  crew,  without  orders  did  the  same  on 
the  lower  deck.  Her  increasing  complaints  requiring  still 
more  to  be  done,  (he  admiral  directed  all  the  guns  on  the  up- 
per deck,  the  shot,  both  on  that  and  the  lower  deck,  and  va- 
rious heavy  stores  to  be  thrown  overboard;  a  leakage  in  the 
light  room  of  the  grand  magazine  having  almost  filled  the 
ship  forward,  and  there  being  eight  feet  water  in  the  nrmga- 
zme,  every  gentleman  was  compelled  to  take  his  turn  at  the 
whips,  or  in  handing  the  buckets.  The  ship  was  besides 
frapped  from  the  fore-mast  to  the  main-mast. 

Notwithstanding  their  utmost  efforts  the  water  still  gained 
on  them  the  succeeding  night,  the  wind  blowing  very  hard, 
with  extremely  heavy  squalls,  a  part  of  the  orlop  deck  fell  in- 
to the  hold;  the  ship  herself  seemed  to  work  excessively,  and 
to  settle  forward. 

On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  under  these  very  alarming 
circumstances,  the  admiral  comrnandod  both  the  bower  an- 
chors to  be  cut  away,  all  the  junk  to  be  flung  overboard,  ona 


THE    LOSS    OP    THE    RAMILLIES  271 

sheet  and  one  bower  cable  to  be  reduced  to  junk  and  served 
the  same  way,  together  with  every  remaining  ponderous  store 
that  could  be  got  at,  and  all  the  powder  in  the  grand  maga- 
zine (it  being  damaged;)  the  cutter  and  pinnace  to  be  broken 
up  and  tossed  overboard,  the  skidds  having  already  worked  oil 
the  side;  every  soul  on  board  was  now  employed  in  bailing. 
One  of  the  pumps  was  got  up,  but  to  no  purpose,  for  the  shot- 
lockers  being  broken  down,  some  of  the  shot,  as  well  as  the 
ballast,  had  fallen  into  the  well;  and  as  the  weather  moderated 
a  little,  every  thing  was  made  ready  to  heave  the  lower  deck 
guns  into  the  sea,  the  admiral  being  anxious  to  leave  nothing 
undone  for  the  relief  of  the  ship. 

When  evening  approached,  there  being  twenty  merchant 
ships  in  sight,  the  officers  united  in  beseeching  him  to  go  in- 
to one  of  them,  but  this  he  positively  refused  to  do,  deeming 
it,  as  he  declared,  unpardonable  in  a  commander  in  chief  to 
desert  his  garrison  in  distress;  that  his  living  a  few  years 
longer  was  of  very  little  consequence,  but  that,  by  leaving 
his  ship  at  such  a  time,  he  should  discourage  and  slacken  the 
exertions  of  the  people,  by  setting  a  very  bad  example.  The 
wind  lulling  somewhat  during  the  night,  all  hands  bailed  the 
water,  which,  at  this  time,  was  six  feet  fore  and  aft. 

On  the  morning  of  the  20th  the  admiral  ordered  the  spare 
and  stream  anchors  to  be  cut  away,  and  within  the  course  of 
the  day  all  the  lower  deck  guns  to  be  thrown  overboard. — 
When  evening  came,  the  spirits  of  the  people  in  general,  and 
even  of  the  most  courageous,  began  to  fail,  and  they  openly 
expressed  the  utmost  despair,  together  with  the  most  earnest 
desire  of  quitting  the  ship,  lest  they  should  founder  in  her.— 
The  admiral  hereupcn  advanced  and  told  them,  that  he  and 
their  oilicers  had  an  equal  regard  for  their  own  lives,  and  that 
the  officers  had  no  intention  of  deserting  either  them  or  the 
ship,  that,  for  his  part,  he  was  determined  to  try  one  night 
more  in  her,  he,  therefore,  hoped  and  intreated  they  would  do 
«o  too,  for  there  was  still  room  to  imagine,  that  one  fair  day, 
with  a  moderate  sea,  might  enable  them,  by  united  exertions 
to  clear  and  secure  the  well  against  the  encroaching  ballast 
which  washed  into  it;  that  if  this  could  be  done,  they  might 
be  able  to  restore  the  chains  to  the  pumps,  and  use  them;  and 
thnt  then  hands  enough  might  be  spared  to  raise  jury-masts, 
with  which  they  might  carry  the  ship  to  Ireland;  that  her  ap- 
pearance alone,  while  she  could  swim,  would  be  sufficient  to 
protect  the  remaining  part  of  her  convov;  above  all,  that  an 
every  thing  that  could  be  thought  of  had  now  been  dune  for 


£Tt  THE    LOSS    OF    THE    RAMILLIE8 

her  relief,  it  would  be  but  reasonable  to  wait  the  effect.  lie 
concluded  with  assuring  t., cm,  that  he  would  make  the  signa 
directly  for  the  trade  to  lie  by  them  during  the  night,  which  he 
doubted  not  they  would  comply  with. 

This  temperate  speech  had  the  desired  effect;  the  firmness 
and  confidence  with  which  he  spoke,  and  their  reliance  on 
his  seamanship  and  judgment,  as  well  as  his  constant  pres- 
ence and  attention  to  every  accident,  had  a  wonderful  effect 
upon  them;  they  became  pacified,  and  returned  to  their  duty 
and  their  labors.  Since  the  first  disaster,  the  admiral  had,  in 
fact,  scarcely  ever  quitted  the  deck;  this  they  had  all  observ- 
ed, together  with  his  diligence  in  personally  inspecting  every 
circumstance  of  distress.  Knowing  his  skill  and  experience 
they  placed  great  confidence  in  them;  and  he  instantly  made, 
according  to  his  promise,  a  signal  for  all  the  merchantmen. 

At  this  period,  it  must  be  confessed,  there  was  great  rea- 
son for  alarm,  and  but  little  for  hope;  for  all  the  anchors  and 
guns,  excepting  one,  together  with  every  other  matter  of 
weight,  had  been  thrown  everboard,  and  yet  the  ship  did  not 
seem  at  all  relieved.  The  strength  of  the  people  was,  like- 
wise, so  nearly  exhausted,  having  had  no  sleep  since  the  first 
fatal  stroke,  that  o  le  half  of  the  crew  were  ordered  to  bail 
and  the  other  to  repose;  so  that,  although  the  wind  was  much 
abated,  the  water  still  gained  upon  them,  in  spite  of  all  their 
efforts,  and  the  ship  rolled  and  worked  most  prodigiously  in  a 
most  unquiet  sea. 

At  three  in  the  morning  of  the  21st,  being  the  fourth  night, 
the  well  being  quite  broken  in,  the  casks,  ballast  and  remain- 
ing shot,  rushed  together  and  destroyed  the  cylinders  of  the 
pumps;  the  frame  and  carcase  of  the  ship  began  to  give  way 
in  every  part,  and  the  whole  crew  exclaimed  that  it  was  im 
possible  to  keep  her  any  longer  above  water. 

In  this  extremity  the  admiral  resolved  within  himself  not  tc 
lose  a  moment  in  removing  the  people  whenever  day-light 
should  arrive,  but  told  the  captain  not  to  communicate  any 
more  of  his  design  than  that  he  intended  to  remove  the  sick 
and  lame  at  day-break;  and  for  this  purpose  he  should  call 
on  board  all  the  boats  of  the  merchantmen  He,  neverthe- 
less, gave  private  orders  to  the  captain,  while  this  was  doing, 
to  have  all  the  bread  brought  upon  the  quarter-deck,  with  a 
quantity  of  beef,  pork  and  flour,  to  settle  the  best  distribution 
of  the  people  according  to  th<-  number  of  the  trade  ships  that 
should  obey  their  signal,  and  to  allow  an  officer  to  each  di- 
*ision  of  them;  to  have  the  remaining  boats  launched,  and  a« 


THE    LOSS    OF    THE    RAMILLIES.  273 

•oon  as  the  sick  were  disposed  of,  to  begin  to  remove  the 
«rhole  of  the  crew,  with  the  utmost  despatch,  but  without  risk- 
ing too  many  in  a  boat 

Accordingly  at  dawn,  the  signal  was  made  for  the  boats  of 
the  merchantmen,  but  nobody  suspected  what  was  to  follow, 
until  the  bread  was  entirely  removed  and  the  sick  gone. — 
About  six  o'clock,  the  rest  of  the  crew  were  permitted  to  go 
off,  and  between  nine  and  ten,  there  being  nothing  further  to 
direct  and  regulate,  the  admiral  himself,  after  shaking  hands 
with  every  officer,  and  leaving  his  barge  for  their  better  ac- 
commodation and  transport,  quitted  forever  the  Ramillies, 
which  had  then  nine  feet  water  in  her  hold.  He  went  into  a 
small  leaky  boat,  loaded  with  bread,  out  of  which  both  him 
and  the  surgeon  who  accompanied  him  were  obliged  to  bail 
the  water  all  the  way.  He  was  in  his  boots,  with  his  surtout 
over  his  uniform,  and  his  countenance  as  calm  and  as  compos- 
ed as  ever.  He  had,  at  going  off,  desired  a  cloak,  a  cask  of 
flour  and  a  cask  of  water,  but  could  get  only  the  flour,  and 
he  left  behind  all  his  stock,  wines,  furniture,  books  and  charts, 
which  had  cost  him  upwards  of  one  thousand  pounds,  being 
unwilling  to  employ  even  a  single  servant  in  saving  or  pack- 
ing up  what  belonged  to  himself  alone,  in  a  time  of  such 
general  calamity,  as  to  appear  better  in  that  respect  than  any 
of  the  crew. 

The  admiral  rowed  for  the  Belle,  Captain  Forster,  being 
the  first  of  the  trade  that  had  borne  up  to  the  Ramillies  the 
preceding  night  in  her  imminent  distress,  and  by  his  anxious 
humanity  sot  such  an  example  to  his  brother  traders  as  had  a 
powerful  influence  upon  them — an  influence  which  was  gen- 
erally followed  by  sixteen  others. 

By  three  o'clock  most  of  the  crew  were  taken  out,  at  which 
time  the  Ramillies  had  thirteen  feet  water  in  her  hold,  and 
was  evidently  foundering  in  every  part,  at  half  past  four  the 
captain,  and  first  and  third  lieutenants,  left  her,  with  every 
soul  excepting  the  fourth  lieutenant,  who  staid  behind  only  to 
execute  the  admiral's  orders  for  setting  fire  to  her  wreck  when 
finally  deserted.  The  carcase  burned  rapidly,  and  the  flames 
quickly  reaching  the  powder,  which  was  filled  in  the  after 
magazine,  and  had  been  lodged  very  high,  in  thirty-five 
minutes  the  decks  and  upper  works  blew  up  with  a  horrid  ex- 
plosion and  cloud  of  smoke,  while  the  lower  part  of  the  hull 
was  precipitated  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean. 

At  this  time  the  admiral,  in  the  Belle,  stood  for  the  wreck 
to  see  his  last  orders  executed,  as  well  as  to  succour  any  boats 

VOL.     II  1^* 


274  THE    LOSS    OF    THE    RAMILLIES. 

that  might  be  too  full  of  men,  the  swell  of  the  sea  being  pro- 
digious, although  the  weather  had  been  moderate  ever  sine* 
noon  of  the  foregoing  day.  There  were,  however,  at  intervals, 
some  squalls,  with  threats  of  the  weather  soon  becoming  vio- 
lent. It  was  not  long  before  they  were  realized,  for  within 
two  hours  after  the  last  of  the  crew  were  put  on  board  their 
respective  ships,  the  wind  rose  to  a  great  height,  and  so  con- 
tinued, with  intermission,  for  six  or  seven  successive  days,  so 
that  no  boat  could,  during  that  time,  have  lived  in  the  water 
On  such  a  small  interval  depended  the  salvation  of  more  than 
fei.v  hundred  lives!  Indeed,  during  the  four  days  immediately 
pieceding  this  catastrophe,  it  blew  such  a  strong  gale,  and 
such  a  heavy  sea  followed  the  Ramillies,  that  it  was  always 
necessary  to  keep  her  with  the  wind  upon  her  quarter,  with 
seldom  more  than  the  sprit-sail  hoisted  upon  her  foremast,  and 
at  times  with  no  sail  at  all,  in  which  state  she  would  run  at 
the  rate  of  six  miles  an  hour.  Whenever  the  main-top-gal- 
lant-sail was  set  on  the  stump  of  the  rnizen-mast  she  common- 
ly griped  too  much,  so  as  to  render  the  steerage  very  difficult, 
and  yet  this  had  been  carried,  whenever  it  could  be,  in  order 
to  keep  pace  with  the  merchantmen,  the  slowest  of  which 
went  nearly  as  fast  under  their  bare  poles. 

Kven  in  running  thus  the  Hamillies  roiled  prodigiously,  and 
as  she  grew  lighter  every  day  her  motion  became  the  more 
uneasy,  so  that  the  men  could  scarcely  stand  to  their  work,  or 
keep  their  legs  without  something  to  lay  hold  by.  There  was 
no  such  thing  as  real  repose  for  them  when  sitting  or  lying 
down  upon  deck,  nor  steadiness  enough  to  cat  or  drink  with 
any  security;  no  meat  could  be  dressed,  nor  did  any  man  or 
officer  go  into  bed.  Until  the  afternoon  of  the  C20th  there  was 
no  venturing  to  bring  her  to,  even  for  a  boat  to  come  on 
board;  but,  notwithstanding  this  desperate  condition,  when 
some  were  hourly  dropping  through  fatigue  and  want  of  sleep, 
a;id  the  decks  were  covered  with  water,  the  whole  of  the  crew 
behaved  with  the  utmost  obedience,  attention  and  sobriety, 
and  remitted  no  possible  exertion  for  the  preservation  of  the 
ship. 

Upon  their  separation  taking  place,  the  officers,  who  were 
distributed  with  portions  of  the  crew  among  the  Jamaica-men, 
had  orders  respectively  to  deliver  them  to  the  first  man  of  war 
or  tender  they  should  meet  with,  and  to  acquaint  the  Secreta- 
ry of  the  Admiralty,  by  the  earliest  opportunity,  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. A  pendant  was  hoisted  on  board  the  Belle,  by  way 
of  distinction,  that  she  might,  if  possible,  lead  the  rest.  Some 
nf  the  trade  kept  with  her,  and  others  made  the  best  of  their 


THE    LOSS    OP    THE    RAMIM.lt> 

way,  apprehensive  lest  they  should  soon  fall  short  of  provis- 
ions, as  they  had  so  many  morn  to  feed. 

The  Silver  Eel  transport,  which  had  sailed  from  Bluefield<i 
with  the  invalids  of  Sir  George  Rodney's  fleet,  and  was  under 
the  command  of  a  lieutenant  of  the  navy,  had  heen  ordered  to 
keep  near  the  Ramillies.  That  ship  was  accordingly  at  hand 
on  the  21st  of  September,  the  day  of  her  destruction,  and  in 
consequence  of  several  deaths  on  the  passage  had  room 
enough  for  the  reception  of  all  who  were  now  ailing  or  maim- 
ed, and  was  therefore  charged  with  them,  heing  properly  fit- 
ted for  their  accommodation. 

The  Silver  Eel  parted  from  the  admiral  in  latitude  42 48  N. 
and  longitude  45  19  W.  alter  seeing  the  Ramillics  demolish- 
ed, and  being  ordered  to  make  for  the  first  port,  ran  into  Fal- 
mnuth  the  Gth  of  October,  on  the  afternoon  of  which  day,  one 
of  the  trade  ships,  with  a  midshipman  and  sixteen  of  the  crew 
of  the  Kumillies,  reached  Plymouth  Sound.  Another  of  the 
same  convoy,  having  on  board  another  part  of  the  crew,  with 
the  captain  and  first  lieutenant,  anchored  in  the  sa.ne  place  be- 
fore day-light  the  next  morning.  The  Canada,  however,  hav- 
injr  exerted  her  utmost  speed,  had,  prior  to  all  these,  on  the 
4f.  of  the  same  month  got  to  Portsmouth^,  where  she  spread 
the  news  cf  the  dispersion  of  this  miserable  fleet,  which  be- 
ing conveyed  to  France,  her  privateers  immediately  put  to 
gea  in  hopes  of  making  pri/es  of  them.  Some  of  the  Jamai- 
ca-mcn,  with  part  of  the  crew  of  the  Ramillies,  fell  into  their 
hands;  two  of  the  West  Indiamen  were  captured  in  sight  of 
the  Belie,  but  she  herself  with  the  admiral  and  thirty-three  of 
his  crew,  arrived  safe,  though  singly,  on  the  I Oth  of  October 
in  Cork  harbor,  where  was  the  Myrmidon  frigate.  The  -ad- 
miral immediately  hoisted  his  flag  on  board  the  latter,  and 
sailing  with  the  first  fair  wind,  arrived,  on  the  17th,  in  Plymouth 
Sound,  apparently  in  good  health,  but  with  a  settled  oppression 
upon  his  breast,  from  having  been  so  long  and  so  dreadfully 
exposed  upon  the  deck  of  the  Ramillies  in  the  horrid  night 
when  she  was  first  overtaken  by  the  storm;  nor  could  he  re- 
move that  complaint  for  upwards*  of  six  months.  He  brought 
away  with  him  nothing  but  a  few  of  his  private  papers,  the 
rest  of  his  effects  having  shared  the  same  fate  as  his  ship. 

It  was  calculated  that  by  the  destruction  of  the  fleet,  up- 
wards of  twenty  one  thousand  five  hundred  persons  perished. 
The  loss  of  property  has  been  estimated  by  the  British  Gov- 
ernment to  be  upwards  of  .f^OjOOC^OOO.  The  gale,  which 
continued  for  six  days,  was  the  most  tremendous  one  on  re- 
cord. 


PRESERVATION    OF    NINE    SEAMiH 


PRESERVATION  OF  NINE  MEN, 

IN    A    SMALL    BOAT,  SURROUNDED    6T    ISLANDS    OF    ICE. 

We  sailed  from  Plymouth  under  convoy  of  H.  B.  Majesty 't 
ship  St.  Alban's,  and  two  other  ships  of  war,  together  with  a 
fleet  of  merchantmen  bound  to  the  Mediteranean,  having  a 
fresh  gale  at  north-east. 

The  wind  still  continuing,  we  kept  company  with  the  fleet 
until  reaching  120  leagues  to  the  westward;  then  judging  our- 
selves clear  of  privateers,  we  proceeded  on  our  voyage.  But 
before  gaining  300  leagues,  on  the  17th  of  March  .we  cam*, 
up  with  an  English  built  ship  cf  about  200  tons,  carrying 
twelve  guns,  and  sailing  under  a  jury  main-mast.  On  our  ap- 
proach she  hoisted  English  colors;  and,  on  being  hailed,  told 
us  she  belonged  to»London,  and  was  now  bound  fromYii^.' 
homewards,  which  seemed  probable,  as  many  tame  fowl  were 
on  board;  and  a  red  bird  flew  from  her  to  us. 

Our  captain  seeing  the  vessel  disabled,  desired  her  to  bring 
to;  saying,  if  anything  was  wanted  on  board,  we  should  hoist 
out  our  boat  and  carry  it  thither;  but  this  was  obstinately  re- 
fused; the  captain  declared,  that  our  boat  should  not  approach, 
and  unless  we  kept  further  off,  he  would  fire  into  us.  This 
induced  suspicion  on  our  part,  wherefore  we  run  up  with  the 
vessel,  and  commanded  her  to  bring  to.  On  this  she  fired, 
and  engaged  us  from  eleven  in  the  morning  until  six  in  the 
evening;  then,  being  much  damaged,  she  struck,  and  called 
to  us  to  save  the  lives  of  the  crew.  But  this  request  came 
too  late,  for  the  wind  increasing,  raised  a  great  sea,  which 
forced  our  ship  under  a  reefed  main-sail,  whence  we  could  not 
hoist  out  our  boat,  without  endangering  our  own  lives.  How- 
ever, by  means  of  a  light  which  she  carried,  we  kept  close  to 
her,  intending  to  hoist  the  boat  out  when  it  became  practica- 
ble. But  towards  midnight  her  light  became  very  low;  and 
by  a  loud  cry,  which  was  heard  about  one  o'clock,  we  judged 
that  she  foundered. 

When  the  vessel  struck  she  told  us  that  she  had  fourteen 
Frenchmen  on  board,  whence  we  conjectured  her  to  be  ac 


PREHERVAT10.N    OF    NINE    BEAMKN.  9)1 

English  Virginia-man  taken  by  the  French;  and  that  she  had 
lost  her  main-mast  in  the  engagement.  We  followed  her, 
chasing  and  fighting,  about  thirty  leagues;  and  when  she 
struck  we  were  in  45  50  north  latitude. 

Our  booty  being  thus  lost,  we  made  the  best  of  our  way  to 
Newfoundland,  being  bound  thither  on  a  fishing  voyage.  One 
trouble,  however,  seldom  comes  alone,  and  so  it  happened  to 
us;  for,  on  the  26th  of  March,  we  saw  some  shattered  ice, 
at  four  in  the  afternoon,  which  was  supposed  to  be  the  har- 
bor ice  now  broken  up.  We  were  now  in  46  50  north  latitude, 
and  conceived  ourselves  50  leagues,  though  it  afterwards 
proved  seventy,  from  the  land.  The  wind  being  at  east,  the 
top-sails  were  handed;  and  we  stood  northward,  u»ider  our 
courses,  hoping  to  get  clear  of  the  ice  before  night.  But  find- 
ing rather  more  than  less,  we  tacked  to  the  Southward,  which 
was  found  unproductive  of  any  change.  Therefore,  for  furth- 
er security,  the  fore-sail  was  furled,  and  the  ship  brought  to 
under  the  mainsail,  as  night  approached,  and  as  there  was  a 
dead  wind,  so  that  we  could  lie  offon  neither  tack,  we  trusted 
if  we  should  fall  in  with  the  greater  ice,  to  meet  with  the  less 
shocks. 

About  eight  or  nine  o'clock,  we  discovered  a  field  of  ice, 
of  which  we  run  foul,  notwithstanding  our  exertions  to  kesp 
clear  of  it;  and  although  we  hung  cables,  coils  of  rope,  hoops 
and  such  things, 'over  the  ship  to  defend  her,  she  struck  so 
hard,  that  at  eleven  she  bilged,  whence  we  had  much  difficul- 
ty to  keep  her  afloat  till  day-light,  by  two  pumps  going,  and 
bailing  at  three  hatchways. 

At  the  approach  of  day  our  men  were  much  fatigued,  the 
water  increased,  and  against  noon  the  hold  was  half  full. — 
No  one  knew  what  to  advise  another,  and  all  began  to  despair 
of  their  lives:  we  continued  pumping,  though  to  little  purpose, 
and  concluded,  that  if  now  were  our  appointed  time,  we  must 
submit  patiently  to  it. 

But  amidst  this  disaster,  it  pleased  God  to  put  it  into  the 
thoughts  of  some  of  us,  that  several  might  be  preserved  in 
the  boat,  whence  the  captain  was  entreated  to  hoist  her  out, 
and  commit  a  few  of  us  there. 

The  captain  answered,  that,  although  God  could  work  won- 
ders, it  was  improbable  that  so  small  a  boat  should  preserve 
us;  that  it  was  but  living  a  few  days  longer  in  misery;  and, 
seeing  God  had  cast  this  calamity  to  his  lot,  he  was  resolved 
to  take  his  chance  and  die  with  his  men. 

Nevertheless,  being  much  impor'uiied,  he  ordered  the  boat 


278  rRESF.nvATio:.  OF  M>E 

out,  and  William  Saunders  and  five  others  ut  her;  and,  tha. 
the  men  might  not  suspect  their  design,  it  was  given  out  that 
the  boat  should  go  ahead  to  tow  the  ship  clear  of  the  ice.— 
How  likely  that  was  the  reader  may  judge,  there  being  but 
one  oar,  all  the  rest  were  broken  by  defending  the  ship  from 
the  ice.  However,  the  purpose  advanced. 

The  boat  being  out,  and  rinding  no  effect  produced  in  tow- 
ing the  ship,  fell  a-stern,  intending  to  take  in  the  captain  and 
as  many  as  it  cou'd  safely  carry,  while  some  were  preparing 
necessaries  for  a  miserable  voyage  A  compass,  and  other 
things  ready,  were  conveyed  into  it. 

The  captain,  doctor  and  several  others,  having  got  out  at 
the  cabin  windows  and  galleries,  I,  amongst  the  rest,  endeav- 
ored to  escape  at  the  gallery,  intending  likewise,  if  possible, 
to  get  into  the  boat;  but  being  discovered  by  the  men,  they 
took  small  arms,  and  kept  off  the  boat,  resolving,  as  she  could 
not  preserve  all,  that  the  whole  should  perish  together. 

This  design  bring  frustrated,  every  one,  except  myself  and 
Wiiham  Langmead,  got  into  the  ship  again;  but  we  were  so 
low  that  we  could  not  recover  ourselves.  ISo  person  coming 
to  relieve  us,  we  were  at  length  forced  to  let  go  our  hold,  and 
trust  to  the  mercy  of  those  in  the  boat,  who  seeing  us  swun- 
n;inir  towards  them,  hove  out  a  rope  and  took  us  in. 

We  were  now  eight  in  number  in  the  boat;  and,  willing  to 
save  our  captain,  lay  hovering  about  the  ship  till  night;  but 
the  men  persisting  in  their  resolution,  tired  at  the  boat  and 
kept  her  otf.  \\  e  began  to  seek  shelter  as  night  approached; 
and,  havinir  gone  among  the  shattered  ice,  made  our  boat  fast 
to  a  small -lump,  and  drove  with  it;  and  as  we  came  foul  of 
great  ice,  we  removed  and  made  fast  to  another  piece,  and  so 
continued  during  the  remainder  of  tiie  nijiht. 

Looking  around  in  the  morning,  the  ship  was  scon  about 
three  leagues  to  the.  eastward  in  the  same  position  as  we  had 
left  her,  whereon  a  consultation  was  held  whether  or  not  we 
should  return  and  make  another  attempt  to  save  the  captain, 
and  as  many  more  as  possible.  This  proposal,  however,  was 
negatived,  every  one  alleging  that  the  men  would  citlier  fire 
on  us,  ot  inconsiderately  crowd  into  the  boat  and  sink  her; 
therefore,  it  was  resolved  to  make  the  best  of  our  wav  to  the 
shore.  Kut  I,  considering  how  little  it  would  tend  fo  my  hon- 
or to  save  my  life,  and  see  my  captain  perish,  endeavored  to 
persuade  them  that  the  sh;(>  still  swam  buoyant,  that  i  hoped 
the  leak  was  stopped,  and  that  we  might  proceed  on  our  voy- 
age; but  this  was  unavailing.  Wheu  1  saw  myself  unable  to 


PRESERVATION    OF    NINE    SEAMEN.  279 

prevail  thus,  1  desired  them  to  row  up  and  sjt  me  on  that  part 
of  the  ice  next  the  ship,  whence  I  should  walk  to  her,  and  die 
with  my  commander. 

This  being  unanimously  agreed  to,  we  rowed  to  the  ice; 
but  when  we  reached  it,  I  was  loth  to  go  out.  However,  en 
calling  the  captain  to  us,  Mr.  John  Maddick  came  first,  and 
after  him  the  doctor  and  some  others,  which  the  captain  per- 
ceiving, came  also. 

The  captain  having  left  the  ship,  the  multitude  crowded  so 
eagerly  alter  him  that  we  had  like  to  have  spoiled  all;  but  by 
c'iance  me  boat  was  got  off',  with  twenty-one  people  in  hev 
and  hanging  to  her  sides.  Some  were  forced  to  slip;  others 
perished  on  the  ice,  not  being  able  to  return  to  the  ship,  where 
.he  rest  were  lost. 

On  the  25th  of  March  we  took  a  miserable  farewell  of  our 
distressed  brethren,  the  heart  of  every  one  being  so  overload- 
ed with  his  own  misery  as  to  have  little  room  to  pity  another. 
Next,  on  considering  what  course  to  follow,  we  resolved  to 
make  for  the  shore. 

Our  only  provision  was  a  small  barrel  of  flour,  and  a  five 
gallon  rundlet  of  brandy,  which  had  been  thrown  overboard, 
and  was  taken  up  by  us.  \Ve  also  took  up  an  old  chest,  which 
stood  us  in  good  stead,  for  having  but  one  oar,  and  our  ship's 
handspikes,  and  a  hatchet  being  by  chance  in  the  boat,  we 
could  split  the  ciiest,  and  nail  it  to  the  handspikes,  which  were 
our  oars.  IS'ails  we  had  only,  by  drawing  them  from  different 
parts  of  the  boat;  and  the  rest  of  the  chest  was  used  to  kindle 
a  fire.  It  also  happened  that  our  main  tarpauling,  which  had 
been  newly  tarred,  was  put  into  the  boat.  Of  it  we  made  a 
main-sail;  and  of  an  old  piece  of  canvas,  that  had  been  a 
sail  to  a  yawl,  we  made  a  fore-sail.  In  this  condition  we 
turned  towards  the  shore,  and  observing  the  surrounding  ice 
lie  north  and  south,  we  steered  north,  and  in  the  morning 
were  clear  of  it. 

liaving  now  got  into  the  ocean,  and  the  wind  being  still 
easterly,  we  hoisted  our  sail,  and  steered  west-north-west 
about  fourteen  leagues,  when  we  fell  in  with  another  field  of 
ice.  Attempting  to  sail  through  it,  we  were  enclosed  by  ma- 
nv  great  islands,  which  drove  so  fast  together,  that  we  were 
forced  to  haul  up  ou  boat  on  the  ice,  otherwise  we  should 
have  perished. 

Here  we  lay  eleven  days  without  once  seeing  the  sea.  As 
the  ice  \vus  thick,  we  caught  as  many  seals  as  we  chose,  for 
they  were  in  great  abundance.  Our  fire  hearth  was  made  of 


280  PRESERVATION    OF    NINE    SEAMKlf. 

the  skin,  and  the  fat  melted  so  easily,  that  we  could  boil  th« 
lean  with  it. 

But  by  lying  so  long  in  this  cold  region,  the  men  began  to 
••.omplain  of  their  feet;  and  our  boat  being  too  small  to  afford 
room  for  all,  there  was  always  a  hideous  cry  among  us  of  hurt- 
ing each  other,  though  for  this  there  was  no  remedy.  We 
kept  watch  six  and  eix,  both  for  the  convenience  of  room,  and 
to  guard  against  the  ice  breaking  under  our  boat,  which  often 
happened,  and  then  it  was  necessary  to  launch,  or  carry  her 
to  a  place  which  we  thought  strong  enough  to  bear  her 
weight. 

In  eleven  days  we  saw  the  sea,  and,  with  great  difficulty, 
got  out  the  boat.  We  sailed  about  ten  or  twelve  leagues 
north-north-west  as  before,  when  we  were  again  enclosed; 
and  this  was  repeated  five  several  times.  The  last  ice,  how- 
ever, was  worse  than  any  before,  and  although  it  was  so  thick 
that  we  could  not  force  the  boat  through  it,  yet  it  was  not  so 
solid  as  to  bear  the  weight  of  a  man;  therefore,  notwithstand- 
ing we  daily  saw  enough  of  seals,  we  could  take  none  of 
them. 

It  fortunately  happened,  that  when  we  parted  from  the  hard 
ice,  we  had  seven  seals  in  store,  and  one  that  we  took  dead, 
which  was  consumed  without  consulting  how  it  had  died. 

We  were  next  reduced  to  short  allowance,  having  only  one 
among  us  to  serve  two  days,  which,  with  about  three  ounces 
of  flour,  mixed  with  water,  and  boiled  in  the  fat  of  the  seal, 
was  all  our  provision.  At  length  we  were  obliged  to  share 
both  feet  and  skin,  each  of  us  allowing  a  little  fat  to  make  a 
fire.  But  being  constrained  to  eat  the  whole,  skin  and  bone 
also,  scarcely  boiled,  injured  our  stomachs  so  much,  that  some 
of  our  number  died,  and  I  myself  suffered  severely. 

On  getting  clear  of  the  loose  ice,  if  the  wind  was  so  ad- 
verse as  to  prevent  our  rowing,  we  made  fast  the  boat  to  an 
island  of  ice  until  better  weather.  Although  this  sheltered 
us,  we  were  often  in  great  danger,  from  the  islands  driving 
foul  of  us,  so  that  it  was  wonderful  we  escaped. 

We  drank  the  ice  mixed  with  brandy;  and  our  provisions, 
with  good  management,  lasted  until  our  coming  ashore,  for  it 
pleased  God  to  save  some  of  us  by  taking  others  to  himseif. 
Our  companions  began  to  die  two  or  three  in  a  day,  until  we 
were  at  last  reduced  to  nine. 

The  feet  of  several  who  died  were  bit  in  such  a  manner  by 
the  frost,  that,  on  stripping  them,  which  was  done  to  give  the 
clothes  to  the  survivors,  their  toes  came  away  with  the  stock- 


CAPTAIN    ROSS'S    EXPEDITION  £81 

ings     The  last  who  died  was  the  boatswain,  who  lived  until 

the  Jay  before  we  saw  land. 

Our  compass  was  broke  by  the  last  field  of  ice  through 
which  we  passed,  and  soon  after  we  lost  our  water  bucket, 
which  was  used  for  bailing.  Our  course  was  directed  by  the 
sun  in  the  day-time,  and  the  stars  by  night. 

Though  many  other  accidents  befel  us,  it  pleased  the  Lore 
to  bring  us  safe  to  land,  after  passing  twenty-eight  days  in 
the  boat. 

On  the  24th  of  April  we  arrived  at  Baccalew,  and  thence 
repaired  to  the  Bay  of  Veids,  in  Newfoundland,  where  we 
found  three  men  providing  for  a  fishing  voyage,  who  carried 
us  to  their  house,  and  gave  us  such  things  as  they  had.  But 
they  being  indifferently  stored,  and  unable  to  maintain  us,  we 
determined  to  go  to  St.  John's,  notwithstanding  some  of  us 
were  so  much  frost-bit,  as  to  be  obliged  to  be  carried  to  the 
boat.  Before  getting  to  Cape  St.  Francis,  however,  the  wind 
veered  to  the  south-west,  which  compelled  us  to  row  all  night. 
In  the  morning  we  reached  Portugal  Cove,  where  to  our  un- 
speakable joy,  some  men  were  found  preparing  for  the  sum- 
mer's fishing.  They  shewed  us  so  much  compassion  as  to 
launch  a  boat,  and  tow  us  over  to  Belleisle,  and  there  we  were 
courteously  received.  All  were  so  weak  that  we  were  car- 
ried ashore  on  men's  shoulders;  and  we  were  besides  so  dis- 
figured with  hunger,  cold  and  the  oil  of  seals,  that  people 
could  hardly  recognise  us  as  men,  except  for  the  shape.  At 
Belleisle  we  remained  ten  days,  when,  being  somewhat  re- 
cruited, we  went  to  St.  John's.  Thus,  in  all  this  extremity, 
God  miraculously  preserved  nine  out  of  ninety-six  that  were 
in  the  ship. 


CAPTAIN  ROSS'S  EXPEDITION, 

In  the  year  1818  the  British  Government  fitted  ou  two  ex- 
peditions to  the  North  Pole.  Captain  Buchan,  commanding 
the  Trent  and  the  Dorothy  was  directed  to  attempt  a  passage 


28i  CAPTAIN    KOas's    KXPKDITI  <  ». 

between  Spitzbergen  and  Nova  Zembla,  over  the  Pole,  into 
the  Pacific,  and  Captain  Ross,  commanding  the  Isabella  and 
the  Alexander,  to  attempt  the  north-west  passage  from  Davi's 
Straits  and  Baffin's  Bay,  into  the  Frozen  Ocean,  and  thence 
into  the  Pacific.  Ross  reached  77  deg.  40  min.  latitude,  ano 
more  accurately  determined  ihe  situation  of  Baffin's  Bay, 
which  until  then  was  believed  to  extend  10  deg.  farther  to  the 
east  than  it  actually  does.  Although  he  sailed  up  Lancaster 
Sound,  he  did  not  advance  far  enough  to  ascertain  if  it  was 
open,  not  having  arrived  there  until  October  1st.  when  danger 
from  the  ice  obliged  him  to  quit  the  coast.  Lieutenant  Parry, 
who  had  accompanied  Captain  Ross,  was  sent,  in  conjunction 
with  Captain  Lyon,  in  the  year  18 19,  on  a  second  voyage  into 
Baffin's  Bay,  and  having  penetrated  as  far  as  to  gain  the  first 
prize  offered  by  Parliament  (£5000)  and  having  made  the  most 
western  point  ever  reached  in  the  Polar  seas,  he  was  entrust- 
ed with  the  direction  of  the  Hccla  and  Fury,  on  a  similar 
expedition  in  1821.  These  ships  returned  in  October  18-3, 
without  achieving  the  principal  object  for  which  they  were  dis- 
patched. In  1824  Parry  and  Lyon  were  again  sent  out  for 
the  discovery  of  a  north-west  passage,  in  the  Hecla  and  Fu- 
ry. After  wintering  in  Prince  Regent's  Bay,  the  ships  sailed 
southwardly,  and,  in  consequence  of  storms  and  icebergs,  i> 
became  necessary  to  abandon  the  Fury,  and  with  her  crew 
on  board  the  Hecla,  Captain  Parry  returned  to  England  in 
October  1025.  The  Admiralty  sent  Parry,  in  the  Hecla,  in 
1827,  to  reach,  if  possible,  the  JVorth  Pole.  Having  journey- 
ed thirty-five  days  over  the  ice,  beginning  at  81  deg.  12  min. 
15  sec.  he  was  compelled  to  retrace  his  course.  So  far  the 
exertions  of  the  Biitish  Government 

Piqued  by  the  real,  or  supposed  neglect  of  government, 
Captain  Ross,  in  the  spring  of  1829,  undertook  an  expedition 
on  his  own  resources,  with  the  view  of  effecting  a  passage 
into  the  Polar  Sea,  and  to  reach  Behring's  Straits  along  the 
northern  coast  of  the  American  continent.  The  ship — the 
Victory — was  lost  in  the  first  year  out,  and  Ross  and  his 
crew  had  worn  through  the  remaining  time  on  board  the  wreck 
of  the  Fury.  When  picked  up  in  Lancaster  Sound,  they 
were  in  four  of  the  Fury's  boats,  which  they  had  "found  un- 
injured, and  in  the  srune  condition  in  which  they  had  beec 
left." 

The  following  letter,  addressed  by  the  gallant  Navigator  to 
the  Admiralty,  puts  us  in  possession  of  all  the  adve:iture» 
and  discoveries  of  this  memorable  expedition. 


CAfTAIiN    ROSS'S    EXrEDlTIO!T.  f89 

On  board  the  Isabella,  of  Hull,  ) 
Baffin's  Pay,  Sept,  1833.  $ 

Sir, — Knowing  how  deeply  my  Lords  Commissioners,  of 
the  Admiralty  are  interested  in  the  advancement  of  nautical 
knowledge,  and  particularly  in  the  improvement  of  geography, 
I  have  to  acquaint  you,  for  the  information  of  their  Lordships, 
that  the  expedition,  the  main  object  of  which  is  to  solve,  if 
possible,  the  question  of  a  north-west  passage  from  the  Pacif- 
ic to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  particularly  by  Prince  Regent's  In- 
let, and  which  sailed  from  England  in  May,  1829,  notwith- 
standing the  loss  of  the  fore-mast  and  other  untoward  circum- 
stances, which  obliged  the  vessel  to  refit  in  Greenland,  reach- 
ed the  beach  on  which  his  Majesty's  late  ship  Fury's  stores 
were  landed,  on  the  13th  of  August. 

We  found  the  boats,  provisions,  &.c.  in  excellent  condition, 
but  no  vestige  of  the  wreck.  After  completing  in  fuel  and 
other  necessaries,  we  sailed  on  the  14th,  and  on  the  following 
morning  rounded  Cape  Garry,  where  our  new  discoveries 
commenced,  and,  keeping  the  western  shore  close  on  board, 
ran  down  the  coast  in  a  S.  W.  and  VV.  course,  in  from  10  to 
20  fathoms,  until  we  had  passed  the  latitude  of  72  north  in 
longitude  94  west;  here  we  found  a  considerable  inlet  leading  to 
the  westward,  the  examinstion  of  which  occupied  two  days; 
at  this  place  we  were  first  seriously  obstructed  by  ice,  which 
was  now  seen  to  extend  from  the  south  cape  of  the  inlet,  in  a 
solid  mass,  round  by  E.  to  E.  N.  E;  owing  to  this  circum- 
stance, the  shallowness  of  the  water,  the  rapidity  of  the  tides, 
the  tempestuous  weather,  the  irregularity  of  the  coast  and  the 
numorous  inlets  and  rocks  for  which  it  is  remarkable,  our 
progress  was  no  less  dangerous  than  tedious,  yet  we  succeed- 
ed in  penetrating  below  the  latitude  of  70  north,  in  longitude 
92  west,  where  the  land,  after  having  carried  us,  as  far  east 
as  90,  took  a  decidedly  westerly  direction,  while  land  at  the 
distance  of  40  miles  to  southward,  was  seen  extending  east 
and  west.  At  this  extreme  point  our  progress  was  arrested  on 
the  1st  of  October  by  an  impenetrable  barrier  of  ice.  Wer 
however,  found  an  excellent  wintering  port,  which  we  named 
Felix  Harbor. 

Early  in  January,  1830,  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  estab- 
lish a  friendly  intercourse  with  a  most  interesting  consociation 
of  natives,  who,  being  insulated  by  nature,  had  never  before 
communicated  with  strangers;  from  th-m  we  gradually  obtain- 
ed the  important  information  that  we  had  already  seen  the 
continent  of  America,  I  hat  about  40  miles  to  the  S.  \V.  there 
were  two  great  seas,  one  to  the  west,  which  was  divided  from 


284  CAPTAIN  ROSH'S  EXPEDITION. 

that  to  the  east  by  a  narrow  strait  or  neck  of  land.  The  rer 
rfication  oi  this  intelligence  either  way,  on  which  our  future 
operations  so  materially  depended,  devolved  on  Commander 
Ross,  who  volunteered  this  service  early  in  April,  and  accom- 
panied by  one  of  the  mates,  and  guided  by  two  of  the  natives, 
proceeded  to  the  spot,  and  found  that  the  north  land  was  con- 
nected to  the  south  by  two  ridges  of  high  land,  15  miles  in 
breadth,  but,  taking  into  account  a  chain  of  fresh  water  lakes, 
which  occupied  the  valleys  between,  the  dry  land  which  actual- 
ly separates  the  two  oceans  is  only  five  miles.  This  extraor- 
dinary isthmus  was  subsequently  visited  by  myself,  when  Com- 
mander Ross  proceeded  minutely  to  survey  the  sea  coast  to 
the  Southward  of  the  isthmus  leading  to  the  westward,  which 
he  succeeded  in  tracing  to  the  99th  degree,  or  to  150  miles  of 
Cape  Turnagain  of  Franklin,  to  which  point  the  land,  after 
leading  him  into  the  70th  degree  of  north  latitude,  ended  di- 
rectly; during  the  same  journey  he  also  surveyed  30  miles  of 
the  adjacent  coast,  or  that  to  the  north  of  the  isthmus,  which, 
by  also  taking  a  westerly  direction,  forming  the  termination  of 
the  western  sea  into  a  gulf.  The  rest  of  this  season  was  em- 
ployed in  tracing  the  sea  coast  south  of  the  isthmus  leading  to 
the  eastward,  which  was  done  so  as  to  leave  no  doubt  that  it 
joined,  as  the  natives  had  previously  informed  us,  to  Ockullee, 
atui  the  land  forming  Repulse  Bay.  It  was  also  determined 
that  there  was  no  passage  to  the  westward  for  50  miles  to  the 
northward  of  our  position. 

This  summer,  like  that  of  1818,  was  beautifully  fine,  but 
extremely  unfavorable  for  navigation,  and  our  object  being 
now  to  try  a  more  northern  latitude,  we  waited  with  anxiety 
for  the  disruption  of  the  ice,  but  in  vain,  and  our  utmos*.  en- 
deavors did  not  succeed  in  retracing  our  steps  more  than  fvi: 
miles,  and  it  was  not  until  the  middle  of  November  that  we 
succeeded  in  cutting  the  vessel  into  a  place  of  security,  which 
we  named  "  Sheriff's  Harbor."  I  may  here  mention  that  we 
named  the  newly  discovered  continent  to  the  southward 
"  Boothia,"  as  also  the  isthmus,  the  peninsula  to  the  north, 
and  the  eastern  sea.  after  my  worthy  friend,  Felix  Booth,  Esq. 
the  truly  patriotic  citizen  of  London,  who,  in  the  most  disin- 
terested manner,  enabled  me  to  equip  this  expedition  in  su- 
perior style. 

The  last  winter  was  in  temperature  nearly  equal  to  the  mean 
cf  what  had  been  experienced  on  the  four  preceding  Toyagea, 
but  the  winters  of  1830  and  1831  set  in  with  a  degree  of  vio- 
lence hitherto  beyond  record — the  thermometer  sunk  to  92 
degrees  below  the  freezing  point,  and  the  average  of  the  year 


CAPTAIN    ROSs's    EXPEDITION. 

was  10  degrees  below  the  preceding;  but  notwithstanding  the 
severity  of  the  summer,  we  travelled  across  the  country  to 
the  wert  sea  by  a  chain  of  lakes,  30  miles  north  of  the  isth- 
mus, when  Commander  Ross  succeeded  in  surveying  50  miles 
more  of  the  coast  leading  to  the  north-west,  Lnd  by  tracing 
the  shore  to  the  northward  of  our  position,  it  was  also  ful- 
ly proved  that  there  could  be  no  passage  below  the  7 1  st  de- 
gree. 

This  autumn  we  succeeded  in  getting  the  vessel  only  14 
miles  to  the  northward,  as  we  had  not  doubled  the  Eastern 
Cape,  all  hope  of  saving  the  ship  was  at  an  end,  and  put  quite 
beyond  possibility  by  another  very  severe  winter;  and  having 
only  provisions  to  last  us  to  the  1st  of  June,  1833,  dispositions 
were  accordingly  made  to  leave  the  ship  in  present  port,  which 
(after  her)  was  named  Victory  Harbor.  Provisions  and  fuel 
being  carried  forward  in  the  spring,  we  left  the  ship  on  the 
28th  of  May,  1832,  for  Fury  Beach,  being  the  only  chance 
left  for  saving  our  lives;  owing  to  the  very  rugged  nature  ot 
the  ice,  we  were  obliged  to  keep  either  upon  or  close  to  the 
land,  making  the  circuit  of  every  bay,  thus  increasing  our  dis- 
tance of  200  miles  by  nearly  one  half;  and  it  was  not  until 
the  1st  of  July  that  we  reached  the  beach,  completely  exhaust- 
ed by  hunger  and  fatigue. 

A  hut  was  speedily  constructed,  and  the  boats  three  of 
which  had  been  washed  off"  the  beach,  but  providentially  driv 
en  shore  again,  were  repaired  during  this  month;  and  the  un- 
usual heavy  appearance  of  the  ice  afforded  us  no  cheering 
prospect  until  the  1st  of  August,  when  in  three  boats  we  reach- 
ed the  ill-fated  spot  where  the  Fury  was  first  driven  on  shore, 
and  it  was  not  until  the  1st  of  September  we  reached  Leopold 
South  Island,  now  established  to  be  the  N.  E.  point  of  Ameri- 
ca in  latitude  73  56,  and  longitude  90  west.  From  the  sum- 
mit of  the  lofty  mountain  on  the  promontory  we  could  see 
Prince  Regent's  Inlet,  Barrow's  Strait  and  Lancaster  Sound, 
which  presented  one  impenetrable. mass  of  ice,  just  as  I  had 
seen  it  in  1818.  Here  we  remained  in  a  state  of  anxiety  and 
suspense,  which  may  be  easier  imagined  than  described.  All 
our  attempts  to  push  through  were  vain;  at  length  being  forced 
by  want  of  provisions  and  the  approach  of  a  very  severe  win- 
ter, to  return  to  Fury  Beach,  where  alone  there  remained 
wherewith  to  support  life,  there  we  arrived  on  the  7th  of  Oc- 
tober, after  a  most  fatiguing  and  laborious  march,  having  been 
obliged  to  leave  our  boats  at  Batty  Bay.  Our  habitation, 
which  consisted  of  a  frame  of  spars,  32  feet  by  16,  covered 


286  CAPTAIN    BOSSES    EXPEDITION. 

with  canvas,  was,  during  the  month  of  November  enclosed; 
and  the  roof  covered  with  snow,  from  4  to  7  feet  thick,  which 
being  saturated  with  water  when  the  temperature  was  fifteen 
degrees  below  zero,  immediately  took  the  consistency  of  ice, 
and  thus  we  actually  became  the  inhabitants  of  an  iceberg 
during  one  of  the  most  severe  winters  hitherto  recorded;  our 
sufferings  aggravated  by  want  of  bedding,  clothing  and  ani- 
mal food,  need  not  be  dwelt  upon.  Mr.  C.  Thomas,  the  car- 
penter, was  the  only  man  who  perished  at  this  beach,  but  three 
others,  besides  one  who  had  lost  his  foot,  were  reduced  to  the 
.ast  stage  of  debility,  and  only  thirteen  of  our  number  wern 
able  to  carry  provisions  in  seven  jouruics  of  62  miles  each  to 
Batty  Bay. 

We  left  Fury  Beach  on  the  8th  of  July,  carrying  with  us 
three  sick  men,  who  were  unable  to  walk,  and  in  six  days  we 
reached  the  boats,  where  the  sick  dailv  recovered.  Although 
the  spring  was  mild,  it  was  not  until  the  loth  of  August  that 
•ye  had  any  cheering  prospect.  A  gale  from  the  westward 
laving  suddenly  opened  a  lane  of  water  along  shore,  in  two 
days  we  reached  our  former  position,  and  from  the  rr.oitntain 
we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  clear  water  across  Prince 
Regent's  Inlet,  which  we  crossed  on  the  17th,  and  took  shel- 
ter from  a  storm  twelve  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Cape  York. 
The  next  day,  when  the  gale  abated  we  crossed  Admiralty  In- 
let, and  were  detained  six  days  on  the  coast  by  a  strong  N.  K. 
wind.  On  the  25th  we  crossed  Navy  Board  Inlet,  and  on  the 
following  morning,  to  our  inexpressible  joy,  we  descried  a 
ship  in  the  offing,  becalmed,  which  proved  to  be  the  .Isabella 
of  Hull,  the  same  ship  which  I  commanded  in  1818.  At  noon 
we  reached  her,  when  her  enterprising  commander,  who  had 
in  vain  searched  for  us  in  Prince  Regent's  Inlet,  after  giving 
us  three  cheers,  received  us  with  every  demonstration  of  kind- 
ness and  hospitality,  which  humanity  could  dictate.  I  ought 
to  mention  also  that  Mr.  Humphreys,  by  landing  me  at  Pos- 
session Bay,  and  subsequently  on  the  west  coast  of  Baffin's 
Bay,  afforded  me  an  excellent  opportunity  of  concluding  my 
survey,  and  of  verifying  my  former  chart  of  that  coast. 

I  have  now  the  pleasing  duty  of  calling  the  attention  ol 
their  lordships  to  the  merit  of  Commander  Ross,  who  was 
second  in  the  direction  of  this  expedition.  The  labors  of  thit 
officer,  who  had  the  departments  of  astronomy,  natural  histo- 
ry and  surveying,  will  speak  for  themselves  in  language  be- 
yond the  ability  of  my  pen;  but  they  will  be  duly  appreciated 
by  their  lordships  and  the  learned  bodies  of  which  he  »s  a 


CAPTAIN    KOSS  S    EXPEDITION  487 

member,  and  who  are  already  well  acquainted  with  his  ac- 
quirements. 

My  steady  and  faithful  friend,  Mr.  William  Them  of  the 
royal  navy,  who  was  formerly  with  me  in  the  Isabella,  besides 
his  duty  as  third  in  command,  took  charge,  of  the  meteorologi- 
cal journal,  the  distribution  and  economy  of  provisions,  and  to 
his  judicious  plans  and  suggestions  must  be  attributed  the  un- 
common degree  of  health  which  our  crew  -enjoyed;  and  as 
.wo  out  of  three  who  died  in  the  four  years  and  a  half  were 
cut  off  early  in  the  voyage,  by  diseases  not  peculiar  to  the 
climate,  only  one  man  can  be  said  to  have  perished.  IVIr. 
M'Diarmid  the  surgeon,  who  had  been  several  voyages  to 
these  regions,  did  justice  to  the  high  recommendation  I  receiv- 
ed of  him;  he  was  useful  in  every  amputation  and  operation 
which  he  performed,  and  wonderfully  so  in  his  treatment  of 
the  sick;  and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  adding,  that  he  would  be 
an  ornament  to  his  Majesty's  service. 

Commander  Ross,  Mr.  Thorn  and  myself,  have,  indeed, 
been  serving  without  pay;  but  in  common  with  the  crew  have 
lost  our  all,  which  I  regret  the  more,  because  it  puts  it  out  of 
my  power  adequately  to  remunerate  my  fellow  sufferers,  whose 
case  I  cannot  but  recommend  for  their  lordships' consideration. 

We  have,  however,  the  consolation,  that  results  of  this  ex- 
pedition have  been  conclusive,  and  to  science  highly  iinpor 
tan?,  and  may  be  briefly  comprehended  in  the  following  words: 
The  discovery  of  the  Gulf  of  Boothia,  the  continent  and  isth- 
mus of  Boothia  Felix,  and  a  vast  number  of  islands,  rivers 
and  lakes;  the  undeniable  establishment  that  the  north-east 
point  of  America  extends  to  the  74th  degree  of  north  latitude: 
valuable  observations  of  every  kind,  but  particularly  on  the 
magnet;  and  to  crown  all,  have  had  the  honor  of  placing  the 
illustrious  name  of  our  Most  Gracious  Sovereign  William  l\r, 
on  the  true  position  of  the  magnetic  pole. 

1  cannot  conclude  this  letter,  sir,  without  acknowledging 
the  important  advantages  we  obtained  from  the  valuable  pub- 
lications of  Sir  Edward  Parry  and  Sir  John  Franklin,  and 
the  communications  kindly  made  to  us  by  those  distinguished 
officers  before  our  departare  from  Kngland.  But  the  glory 
of  this  enterprise  is  entirely  due  to  Him,  whose  divine  favor 
has  been  most  especially  manifested  towards  us,  who  guided 
and  directed  all  our  steps,  who  mercifully  provided,  in  what 
we  had  deemed  a  calamity,  His  effectual  means  of  our  preser- 
vation ;  and  who  even  after  the*  devices  and  inventions  of 


t88        LOSS    Or   THE    CATHARINE,    VENUS    AND    FIEDMONT. 

man  had  utterly  failed,  crowned  our  humble  endeavors  witi 
complete  success. 

I  have,  &c. 

JOHN  ROSS,  Captain,  R  N. 

To  Captain  the  Hon.  George  Elliot,  &c. 
Secretary  Admiralty. 


LOSS  OF  THE  CATHARINE,  VENUS  AND  PIED- 
MONT  TRANSPORTS;  AND  THREE  MERCHANT 
SHIPS. 

The  miseries  of  war  are  in  themselves  great  and  terrible, 
but  the  consequences  which  arise  indirectly  from  it,  though 
seldom  known  and  little  adverted  to,  are  no  less  deplorable. — 
The  destruction  of  the  sword  sometimes  bears  only  an  incon- 
siderable proportion  to  the  havoc  of  disease,  and,  in  the  pes- 
tilential climates  of  the  western  colonies,  entire  regiments, 
reared  in  succession,  have  as  often  fallen  victims  to  their  bane- 
ful influence. 

To  prosecute  the  war  with  alracrity,  it  had  been  judged  ex- 
pedient to  transport  a  strong  body  of  troops  on  foreign  ser- 
vice, but  their  departure  was  delayed  by  repeated  adversities, 
and  at  length  the  catastrophe  which  is  about  to  be  related  en- 
sued. 

On  the  15th  of  November  1795,  the  fleet,  under  convoy  of 
Admiral  Christian's  squadron,  sailed  from  St.  Helens.  A 
more  beatiful  sight  than  it  exhibited  cannot  be  conceived;  and 
those  who  had  nothing  to  lament  in  leaving  their  native  coun- 
try, enjoyed  the  spectacle  as  the  most  magnificent  produced 
by  the  art  of  man,  and  as  that  which  the  natives  of  this  island 
contemplate  with  mingled  pride  and  pleasure. 

Next  day,  the  wind  continuing  favorable,  carried  the  fleet 
town  channel;  and  as  the  Catharine  transport  came  within 


LOSS   OF   THJ     CATKARINE.    VENDS    AND    PIEDMONT         999 

of  the  isle  of  Perbcck,  Lieutenant  Jenner,  an  officer  on 
board,  pointed  out  to  another  person,  the  rocks  where  the 
Halsewell  and  so  many  unfortunate  individuals  had  perished. 
He  and  Cornet  Burns  had  been  unable  to  reach  Southampton 
until  the  Catharine  had  sailed,  therefore  they  hired  a  boy  to 
overtake  her,  and  on  embarking  at  St.  Helen's  the  former  ex- 
pressed his  satisfaction,  in  a  letter  to  his  mother,  that  he  had 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  do  so. 

On  Tuesday  the  17th,  the  fleet  was  off  Portland,  standing 
to  the  westward;  but  the  wind  shifting  and  blowing  a  strong 
gale  at  south-south-west,  the  admiral,  dubious  whether  they 
could  clear  the  channel,  made  a  signal  for  putting  into  Tor- 
bay,  which  some  of  the  transports  where  then  in  sight  of. — 
However,  they  could  not  make  the  bay;  the  gale  increased, 
and  a  thick  fog  came  on;  therefore  the  admiral  thought  it  ex- 
pedient to  alter  his  design,  and  about  five  in  afternoon  made 
a  signal  for  standing  out  to  sea.  Of  the  circumstances  rela- 
tive to  the  Catharine,  a  more  detailed  account  has  been  pre- 
served than  respecting  the  other  vessels  of  the  fleet;  and  they 
are  preserved  by  a  female,  with  whose  name  we  are  unac- 
quainted, in  these  words. 

"The  evening  of  the  17th  was  boisterous  and  threatening; 
the  master  said  he  was  apprehensive  that  we  should  have 
bad  weather;  and  when  I  was  desired  to  go  on  deck  and  look  at 
the  appearance  of  the  sky,  I  observed  that  it  was  troubled  and 
red,  with  great  heavy  clouds  flying  in  all  directions,  and  with 
a  sort  of  dull  mist  surrounding  the.  moon.  On  repeating  this 
to  the  other  passengers,  two  of  whom  had  been  at  sea  before, 
they  said  we  should  certainly  have  a  stormy  night,  and  indeed 
it  proved  so  very  tempestuous  that  no  rest  was  to  be  obtained 
Nobody,  however,  seemed  to  think  that  there  was  any  dan- 
ger, though  the  fog  was  so  thick  that  the  master  could  see 
nothing  by  which  to. direct  his  course;  but  he  thought  that  he 
had  sufficient  sea-room. 

The  fatigue  I  had  suffered  from  the  tossing  of  the  ship,  and 
the  violence  with  which  she  continued  to  roll,  had  kept  me  in 
bed.  It  was  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  18th, 
when  the  mate  looked  down  into  the  cabin  and  cried,  "  save 
yourselves  if  you  can!" 

The  consternation  and  terror  of  that  moment  cannot  be  de- 
scribed; I  had  on  a  loose  dressing  gown,  and  wrapping  it 
round  me  I  went  up,  not  quite  on  deck,  but  to  the  top  of  the 
stairs,  from  whence  I  saw  the  sea  break  mountain  high  against 
the  shore.  The  passengers  and  soldiers  seemed  thunder 
VOL.  ii  13 


lOflS    OF    THE    CATHARINE,    VENUS    AND    PIEDMor  f. 

struck  by  the  sense  of  immediate  and  inevitable  danger,  and 
the  seamen,  too  conscious  of  the  hopelessness  of  any  exertion, 
stood  in  speechless  agony,  certain  of  meeting  in  a  few  mo- 
ments that  destruction  which  now  menaced  them. 

While  1  thus  surveyed  the  scene  around  me  in  a  kind  of 
dread  which  no  words  can  figure,  ]\Ir.   Burns,  an  officer  of 
dragoons,  who  had  come  up  in  his  shirt,  called  to  Mr.  Jen- 
ner  and  Mr.  Stains  for  his  cloak;  nobody,  however,  could  at 
tend    to    any  thing   in  such    a  moment  but  self-preservation 

Mr.  Jenner,  Mr.  Stains  and  Mr  Dodd  the  surgeon,  now 
passed  me,  their  countenances  sufficiently  expressing  their 
seise  of  the  situation  in  which  we  all  were.  Mr.  Burns  spoke 
cheerfully  to  me;  he  bade  me  take  good  cournge,  and  Mr. 
Jenner  observed,  there  was  a  good  shore  near,  and  all  would 
do  well. 

These  gentlemen  then  went  to  the  side  of  the  ship,  with 
the  intention,  as  1  believe,  of  seeing  whether  it  was  possible 
to  get  on  shore.  The  master  of  the  vessel  alone  remained 
near  the  companion;  when  suddenly  a  tremendous  wave  broke 
over  the  ship,  and  struck  me  with  such  violence,  that  1  was 
stunned  lor  a 'moment,  and,  before  being  able  to  recover  my- 
self, the  ship  struck  with  a  force  so  great  as  to  throw  me  from 
the  stairs  into  the  cabin,  the  master  being  thrown  clown  near 
me.  At  the  same  instant,  tlie  cabin,  with  a  dreadful  crash, 
broke  in  upon  us,  and  planks  and  beams  threatened  to  bury 
us  in  rums.  The  master,  however,  soon  recovered  himself; 
he  left  me  to  go  again  upon  deck,  and  I  saw  him  no  more. 

A  sense  of  my  condition  lent  me  strength  to  disengage  my- 
self from  the  boards  and  fragments  by  which  I  was  surround- 
ed, and  I  once  more  got  upon  the  stfiirs,  I  hardly  know  how. 
But  what  a  scene  did  I  behold!  The  masts  were  all  lying 
across  the  shattered  remains  of  the  deck,  and  no  living  crea- 
ture appeared  on  it;  all  was  gone,  though  I  knew  not  then  that 
they  were  gone  forever.  I  looked  forward  to  the  shore,  but 
there  I  could  see  nothing  except  the  dreadful  surf  that  broke 
against  it,  while,  behind  the  ship,  immense  black  waves  rose 
like  tremendous  ruins.  1  knew  that  they  must  overwhelm  her, 
and  thought  that  there  could  be  no  escape  for  me. 

Believing,  then,  that  death  was  immediate  and  unavoidable, 
my  idea  was  to  regain  my  bed  in  the  cabin,  and  there,  resign- 
ing myself  to  the  will  of'  God,  await  the  approaching  moment. 
However,  I  could  not  reach  it,  and  for  awhile  was  insensible; 
then  the  violent  striking  and  breaking  up  of  the  Avreck  again 
roused  me  to  recollection;  I  found  myself  near  the  cabin-win- 


LOIS   OF   THE    CATHARINE,    VENUS    AND   PIEDMONT.       1*91 

dows,  and  the  water  was  rising  round  me.  It  rapidly  increas- 
ed, and  the  horrors  of  drowning  were  present  to  my  view;  yet 
do  I  remember  seeing  the  furniture  of  the  cabin  floating  about. 
I  sat  almost  enclosed  by  pieces  of  the  wreck,  and  the  water 
now  reached  my  breast. 

The  bruises  I  had  received  made  every  exertion  extremely 
difficult,  and  my  loose  gown  was  so  entangled  among  the 
beams  and  fragments  of  the  ship,  that  I  could  not  disengage 
it  Still  the  desire  of  life,  the  hope  of  being  welcomed  on 
shore,  whither  1  thought  my  friends  had  escaped,  and  the  re- 
membrance of  my  child,  all  united  in  inspiring  me  with  cou- 
rage to  attempt  saving  myself.  I  again  tried  to  loosen  my 
gown,  but  found  it  impossible,  and  the  wreck  continued  to 
strike  so  violently,  and  the  ruins  to  close  so  much  more  around 
me,  that  I  now  expected  to  be  crushed  to  death. 

As  the  ship  drifted  higher  on  the  stones,  the  water  rather 
lessened  as  the  waves  went  hack,  but  on  their  return,  continu- 
ed to  cover  me,  and  I  once  or  twice  lost  my  breath,  and,  for  % 
moment,  my  recollection.  When  I  had  power  to  think,  the 
principle  of  self  preservation  still  urged  me  to  exertion. 

The  cabin  now  broke  more  and  more,  and  through  a  large 
breach  I  saw  the  shore  very  near.  Amidst  the  tumult  of  the 
raging  waves  I  had  a  glimpse  of  the  people,  who  were  gather- 
ing up  what  the  sea  drove  towards  them;  but  I  thought  they 
could  not  see  me,  and  from  them  I  despaired  of  assistance. — 
Therefore  I  determined  to  make  one  effort  to  preserve  my  life. 
I  disengaged  my  arms  from  the  d'essing  gown,  and, 
myself  able  to  move,  I  quitted  the  wreck,  and  felt  my-  on 
the  ground.  I  attempted  to  run,  but  was  too  feeble  to  save 
myself  from  a  raging  wave,  which  overtook  and  overwhelmed 
me.  Then  I  believed  myself  gone;  yet,  half  suffocated  as  I 
was,  I  struggled  very  much,  and  I  remember  that  I  thought  I 
was  very  long  dying.  The  wave  left  me;  I  breathed  again, 
and  made  another  attempt  to  get  higher  upon  the  bank,  but, 
quite  exhausted,  I  fell  down  and  my  senses  forsook  me. 

By  this  time  I  was  observed  by  some  of  the  people  on  the 
bank,  and  two  men  came  to  my  assistance  They  lifted  me 
up;  I  once  more  recovered  some  faint  recollection;  and,  an 
they  bore  me  along,  I  was  sensible  that  one  of  them  said  the 
sea  would  overtake  us;  that  he  mu^t  let  me  go  and  take  care 
of  his  own  life.  I  only  remember  clinging  to  the  other  and 
imploring  him  not  to  aband>  n  me  to  the  merciless  waves.-" 
But  I  have  a  very  confused  idea  of  what  passed,  till  I  saw 
the  boat,  into  which  I  was  to  be  put  to  cross  the  Fleet  water; 


892       LOSS   OF   THE    CATHARINE,   VENUS    AND   PIEDMONT 

I  had  then  just  strength  to  say,  "  For  God's  sake  -do  not  take 
me  to  sea  again.'' 

I  believe  the  apprehension  of  it,  added  to  my  other  suf- 
ferings tended  to  deprive  me  of  all  further  sensibility,  for  I 
have  not  the  least  recollection  of  any  thing  afterwards  un- 
til roused  by  the  remedies  applied  to  restore  me  in  a  farm- 
house whither  I  was  carried.  There  I  heard  a  number  of 
women  around  me,  who  asked  a  great  number  of  questions 
which  I  was  unable  to  answer.  I  remember  hearing  one  say 
I  was  a  French  woman;  another  say  that  I  was  a  negro,  and 
indeed  I  was  so  bruisec,  and  I»»  such  a  disfigured  condition, 
that  the  conjectures  of  these  people  are  not  surprising. 

When  recovering  some  degree  of  confused  recollection,  and 
able  to  speak,  I  begged  that  they  would  allow  me  to  go  to  bed. 
This,  however,  I  did  not  ask  with  any  expectation  of  life,  for 
I  was  now  in  such  a  state  of  suffering,  that  my  only  wish  was 
to  be  allowed  to  lie  down  and  die  in  peace. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  humanity  of  Mr.  Abbot,  the  in- 
habitant of  Fleet  farm-house,  nor  the  compassionate  attention 
of  his  sister,  Miss  Abbot,  who  not  only  afforded  me  immedi- 
ate assistance,  but  continued  for  some  days  to  attend  me  with 
such  kindness  and  humanity,  as  I  shall  always  remember  with 
the  sincerest  gratitude." 

The  unfortunate  sufferer  who  gives  the  preceding  account, 
was  tended  with  great  humanity  by  Mr.  Bryer,  while  a  wound 
in  her  foot,  and  the  dangerous  bruises  she  had  received,  pre- 
vented her  from  quitting  the  shelter  she  first  found  under  the 
roof  of  Mr.  Abbot,  at  Fleet.  As  soon  as  she  was  in  a  con- 
dition to  be  removed  to  \Veymouth,  Mr.  Bryer,  a  surgeon 
there,  received  her  into  his  own  house,  where  Mrs.  Bryer  as- 
sisted in  administering  to  her  recovery  such  benevolent  offices 
of  consolation  as  her  deplorable  situation  admitted.  Mean- 
time the  gentlemen  of  the  south  battalion  of  the  Gloucester 
Militia,  who  had  done  every  thing  possible  towards  the  pres- 
ervation of  those  who  were  the,  victims  of  the  tempest,  now 
liberally  contributed  to  alleviate  the  pecuniary  distresses  of 
the  survivors.  None  seemed  to  have  so  forcible  a  claim  on 
their  pity  as  this  forlorn  and  helpless  stranger;  and  she  alone, 
of  forty  souls,  except  a  single  ship-boy,  survived  the  wreck  of 
the  Catharine.  There  perisht-d,  twelve  seamen,  two  soldiers' 
wives,  twenty-two  dragoons  and  four  officers,  Lieutenant  Stains, 
Mr.  Dodd  of  the  hospital-staff*,  Lieutenant  Jenner,  the  repre- 
sentative of  an  ancient  and  respectable  family  in  Gloucester- 
shire, aged  thirty-one  and  Cornet  Burns,  the  son  of  an  Ameri- 


LOSS  OP    THE    CATHARINE,    VllfUS    AND    PIEDMONT.      395 

win  loyalist  of  considerable  property,  who  was  deprived  01 
very  thing  for  his  adherence  to  the  British  Government. — 
Having  no  dependence  but  on  the  promises  of  government  to 
indemnify  those  who  had  suffered  on  that  account  he,  after  years 
of  distress  and  difficulty,  obtained  a  cornetcy  in  the  26th  regi- 
ment of  dragoons,  then  going  to  the  West  Indies,  and  was  thus 
lost  in  his  twenty-fourth  year.  This  officer  had  intended  em- 
barking in  another  transport,  and  had  actually  sent  his  horse 
on  board,  when  finding  the  Catharine  more  commodious,  he 
gave  her  the  preference,  while  the  other  put  back  to  Spithead 
in  safety.  The  mangled  remains  of  Lieutenant  Jenner  were 
two  days  afterwards  found  on  the  beach,  and  interred  with 
military  honors. 

But  the  Catharine  was  not  the  only  vessel  which  suffered  in 
the  tempest.  Those  who  on  shore  had  listened  to  it  raging 
on  the  preceding  evening,  could  not  avoid  feeling  the  most 
lively  alarm  for  the  consequences;  ancl  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  18th  of  November,  several  pilots  and  other  persons  as- 
sembled on  the  promontory  called  the  Look-out  at  Weymouth. 
Thence  they  too  evidently  discovered  the  distress  and  danger 
of  many  of  the  transports. 

Soon  after,  a  lieutenant  of  the  navy,  residing  at  Weymouth, 
applied  to  the  major  of  a  militia  regiment,  for  a  guard  to  be 
sent  to  the  Chisell  Bank,  as  a  large  ship,  supposed  to  be  a 
frigate,  was  on  shore.  This  was  immediately  granted,  and 
the  major  himself  marched  along  with  a  captain's  guard. 

The  violence  of  the  wind  was  so  great,  that  the  party  could 
with  difficulty  reach  the  place  of  their  destination.  There 
they  found  a  large  merchantman,  the  ^Eolus,  laden  with  tim- 
ber for  government,  on  shore.  Lieutenant  IMason  of  the  na- 
vy, and  his  brother,  a  midshipman,  perished  in  her,  and  a 
number  of  men  who  would  probably  have  been  saved  had  they 
understood  the  signals  from  shore.  The  men  of  Portland 
who  crowded  down  to  the  scene  of  desolation,  meant  to  ex- 
press, by  throwing  small  pebbles  at  them,  that  they  should  re- 
main on  board,  to  make  them  hear  was  impossible,  because 
they  foresaw  the  ship  would  drive  high  on  the  bank.  Should 
that  be  the  case,  they  might  soon  leave  her  without  hazard; 
and  accordingly  those  who  continued  on  board  were  saved, 
though  many  of  them  were  dreadfully  bruised. 

JNot  far  from  the  same  place,  the  Golden  Grove,  another 
merchantman,  was  stranded,  and,  in  her  Dr.  Stevens  and  Mr 
Burrows  of  St.  Kitts,  were  lost.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Ross, 
whn  was  also  there  escaoed  on  shore.  These  two  vessels 


£94        LOM   OP    THE    CATHARINE,    VENU3    AND    PIEDMONT. 

bad  struck  against  a  part  of  the  Passage-House,  almost  a 
the  same  spot  where  a  French  frigate,  the  Zenobia,  had  gone 
to  pieces  in  1763. 

But  the  scene  of  distress  was  infinitely  greater  about  four 
niles  to  the  westward,  where,  as  already  related,  the  Catha- 
rine was  wrecked.  Along  with  her,  nearly  opposite  to  the 
villages  of  Fleet  and  Chickerell,  the  Piedmont  and  Venus, 
two  transports,  and  soon  after  the  Thomas,  a  merchantman, 
shared  the  same  fate. 

One  hundred  and  thirty-eight  soldiers  of  the  63d  regiment, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Barcroft,  were  on  board  the 
Piedmont;  also  Lieutenant  Ash  and  Mr.  Kelly,  surgeon  of 
the  same  regiment.  Of  all  these,  only  Serjeant  Richardson, 
eleven  privates,  and  four  seamen,  survived  the  catastrophe; 
all  the  rest  perished. 

Captain  Barcroft's  life  had  passed  in  the  service.  While 
yet  a  very  young  man,  "he  served  in  America  during  the  war 
between  England  and  her  colonies;  and  being  then  taken  pris- 
oner, was  severely  treated.  On  commencement  of  the  war 
which  has  so  many  years  desolated  Europe,  he  raised  a  com- 
pany in  his  native  country,  and  served  with  it  on  the  Conti- 
nent during  the  campaign  of  1794.  Under  a  heavy  fire  of  the 
enemy,  he  was  one  of  the  last  men  who  retreated  with  it  along 
a  single  plank,  knee-deep  in  water,  from  the  siege  of  Nime- 
guen.  In  a  few  months  after  the  disastrous  retreat  on  the 
Continent,  in  the  winter  1794,  he  was  ordered  to  the  West 
Indies,  and,  in  the  outset  of  his  voyage,  perished  in  the  tem- 
pest. 

Of  the  few  who  reached  the  shore  from  the  Piedmont,  there 
was  scarce  one  who  was  not  dreadfully  bruised,  and  some  had 
their  limbs  broken.  An  unfortunate  veteran  of  the  63d,  though 
his  leg  was  shockingly  fractured,  had  sufficient  resolution  to 
creep  for  shelter  under  a  fishing  boat  which  lay  inverted  on 
the  further  side  of  the  bank.  There  his  groans  were  unheard 
.  until  a  young  gentleman,  Mr.  Smith,  a  passenger  in  the 
Thomas,  who  had  himself  been  wrecked,  and  was  now  wand- 
ering along  the  shore,  discovered  him.  In  this  ship,  the 
Thomas,  bound  to  Oporto,  the  master,  Mr.  Brown,  his  son, 
and  all  the  crew,  except  the  mate,  three  seamen  and  Mr. 
Smith,  were  lost.  The  last  was  on  his  way  to  Lisbon;  but 
his  preservation  was  chiefly  in  consequence  of  his  remaining 
on  board  afte  all  the  rest  had  left  the  ship,  or  were  washed 
away  by  the  waves.  She  had  then  drifted  high  on  the  bank, 
when  he  leaped  out  of  her  and  reached  the  ground 


LOSS    OF    THE    CATHARINE,    VENUS    AND    PIEDMONT.        294 

Though  weak  and  encumbered  by  his  wet  clothes,  he  gain- 
ed the  opposite  side  of  the  bank,  but  on  gazing  on  the  dreary 
beach  around  him,  he  considered  himself  cast  away  on  an  un- 
inhabited coast.  At  length  he  observed  a  fishing-boat,  and 
approaching  it,  heard  the  groans  of  the  unfortunate  old  soldier, 
whom  he  attempted  to  relieve.  But  alone  he  found  himself 
unable  to  fulfil  his  intention,  and  it  was  a  considerable  time 
before  he  observed  any  means  of  assistance  near.  At  last, 
perceiving  a  man  at  some  distance,  he  hastened  to  him,  eager- 
ly inquiring  whether  a  surgeon  could  be  procured  for  a  poor 
creature  with  a  broken  limb,  who  lay  under  the  boat.  Proba- 
bly the  man  showed  little  alacrity,  for  Mr.  Smith  found  it 
necessary  to  purchase  his  good  offices  by  a  gift  of  half  a-guinea, 
which  he  imagined  would  induce  him  to  seek  what  was  so 
much  required.  But  the  man,  pocketing  the  half-guinea  with 
the  greatest  composure,  said  he  was  a  king's  officer,  and  must 
see  what  bales  of  goods  were  driven  on  shore;  then  telling 
Mr.  Smith  there  was  a  ferry  about  four  miles  off,  by  which  he 
might  get  to  Weymouth.  The  youth  was  thus  disappointed  of 
his  humane  design,  and  the  soldier  died  in  that  deplorable 
condition  before  any  other  aid  attained  him. 

In  the  Thomas,  the  vessel  to  which  Mr.  Smith  belonged,  he 
witnessed  scenes  not  less  distressing.  Mr.  Brown,  the  mas- 
ter of  the  vessel,  was  carried  away  by  an  immense  wave  just 
as  he  was  stripping  off  his  clothes  to  endeavor  to  save  himself. 
His  son  exclaiming,  "Oh  my  father,  my  father!  my  poor  fath- 
er!" instantly  followed.  The  bodies  of  both  were  afterwards 
found  and  interred  at  Wyke. 

Of  ninety-six  persons  on  board  the  Venus,  only  Mr.  John 
Parley  of  the  hospital  staff,  serjeant-major  Hearne,  twelve 
soldiers,  four  seamen  and  a  boy  were  saved.  Mr.  Darley  es- 
caped by  throwing  himself  from  the  wreck  at  a  moment  when 
it  drifted  high  on  the  stones;  he  reached  them  without  broken 
limbs,  but,  overtaken  by  the  furious  sea,  he  was  carried  back, 
not  so  far,  however,  that  he  was  incapable  of  regaining  the 
ground.  Notwithstanding  the  weight  of  his  clothes  and  hia 
exhausted  state,  he  got  to  the  top  of  the  bank,  but  there  the 
power  of  farther  exertion  failed,  and  he  fell  While  lying  in 
this  situation,  trying  to  recover  breath  and  strength,  a  great 
many  people  from  the  neighboring  villages  passed  him;  they 
had  crossed  the  Fleet  water  in  the  hopes  of  sharing  the 
plunder  of  the  vessels  which  the  lower  inhabitants  nf  th^  ^oc^i 
are  too  much  accustomed  to  consider  their  right. 

Mr.   Darley  seems  to  have  been   so  far  from  meeting 


296        LOSS    OP    THE    CATHARINE,    VENUS    AND    PIEDMONT. 

assistance  from  those  who  were  plundering  the  dead,  without 
thinking  of  the  living,  that  although  he  saw  many  boats  past- 
ing and  repassing  the  Fleet  water,  he  found  great  difficulty 
in  procuring  a  passage  for  himself  and  two  or  three  fellow-suf- 
ferers who  had  now  joined  him.  But  having  passed  it  he  soon 
met  with  Mr.  Bryer.  to  whose  active  humanity  all  the  suffer- 
ers were  eminently  indebted. 

Before  the  full  extent  of  this  dreadful  calamity  was  known 
at  A\  eymouth,  the  officers  of  the  South  Gloucester  Militia, 
with  equal  humanity,  were  devising  how  they  might  best  suc- 
cour the  survivors,  and  perform  the  last  duties  to  the  remains 
of  those  who  had  perished.  On  the  morning  of  the  19th  of 
November,  one  of  them,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Bryer  of  Wey- 
mouth,  rode  to  the  villages  where  those  who  had  escaped  from 
the  various  wrecks  had  found  a  temporary  shelter.  In  a  house 
at  Chickereli,  they  found  Serjeant  Richardson  and  eleven  pri- 
vates of  the  63d  regiment;  two  of  the  latter  had  fractured 
limbs,  and  almost  all"  the  rest  either  wounds  or  bruises.  In 
other  houses  the  sufferers  had  been  received,  and  were  as  com- 
fortably accommodated  as  circumstances  would  admit. 

The  gentlemen  then  crossed  the  Fleet  water  to  the  beach, 
and  there,  whatever  idea  was  previously  formed  of  it,  the  hor- 
ror of  the  scene  infinitely  surpassed  expectation;  no  celebrat- 
ed field  of  carnage  ever  presented,  in  proportion  to  its  size,  a 
more  awful  sight  than  the  Chisell  Bank  now  exhibited.  For 
about  two  miles  it  was  strewed  with  the, dead  bodies  of  men 
and  animals,  with  pieces  of  wreck  and  piles  of  plundered 
goods,  which  groups  of  people  were  carrying  away,  regard- 
less of  the  sight  of  drowned  bodies  that  filled  the  new  specta- 
tors with  sorrow  and  amazement. 

On  the  mangled  remains  of  the  unfortunate  victims,  death 
appeared  in  all  its  hideous  forms.  Either  the  sea  or  the  peo- 
ple who  had  first  gone  down  to  the  shore,  had  stripped  the 
bodies  of  the  clothes  which  the  sufferers  had  wore  at  the  ratal 
moment.  The  remnants  of  the  military  stock;  the  wristbands, 
or  color  of  a  shirt,  or  a  piece  of  blue  pantaloons,  were  all  the 
fragmants  left  behind. 

The  only  means  of  distinguishing  the  officers  was  the  dif- 
ferent appearance  of  their  hands  from  those  of  men  accus- 
tomed to  hard  labor;  but  some  were  known  by  the  descrip- 
tion given  of  them  by  their  friends  or  by  persons  who  were 
in  the  vessels  along  with  them.  The  remains  of  Captain 
Barcroft  were  recognised  by  the  honorable  scars  he  had  re- 
ceived in  the  service  of  his  country;  and  the  friends  ind  re- 


LOIS   OF   THE   CATHARINE,    TENUS   AND    PIEDMONT         t9" 

I«.tives  of  him,  and  several  more,  had  the  satisfaction  of  learn 
ing  that  their  bodies  were  rescued  from  the  sea,  and  interred 
with  military  honors. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  20th  of  November,  a  lieutenant 
of  the  militia  regiment  who  had  been  appointed  to  superintend 
the  melancholy  office  of  interment,  repaired  to  the  scene  of 
destruction.  But  from  the  necessary  preliminaries  of  obtain- 
ing the  authority  of  a  magistrate  to  remove  the  bodies,  not 
more  than  twenty-five  were  buried  that  day.  The  bodies  of 
Captain  Barcroft,  Lieutenant  Sutherland,  Cornet  Graydon, 
Lieutenant  Ker  and  two  women,  were  then  selected  to  be  put 
into  coffins.  Next  day,  those  of  Lieutenant  Jenner  and  Cor- 
net Burns,  being  found,  were  distinguished  in  the  like  man- 
ner. 

The  whole  number  of  dead  found  on  the  beach,  amounted 
to  two  hundred  and  thirty-four;  so  that  the  duty  of  interment 
was  so  heavy  and  fatiguing,  that  it  was  not  until  the  twenty- 
third  that  all  the  soldiers  and  sailors  were  deposited.  Of  these 
there  were  two  hundred  and  eight,  and  they  were  committed 
to  the  earth  as  decently  as  circumstances  would  admit,  in 
graves  dug  on  the  Fleet  side  of  the  beach,  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  sea,  where  a  pile  of  stones  was  raised  on  each,  to 
mark  where  they  lay.  Twelve  coffins  were  sent  to  receive 
the  bodies  of  the  women,  but  nine  only  being  found,  the  su- 
pernumerary ones  were  appointed  to  receive  the  remains  of 
the  officers. 

Two  waggons  were  next  sent  to  the  Fleet  water  to  receive 
the  coffins,  in  which  the  shrouded  bodies  of  seventeen  officers 
and  nine  women  had  been  placed,  and  on  the  24th  were  car- 
ried to.  the  church-yard  at  Wyke,  preceded  by  a  captain,  sub- 
altern and  fifty  men  of  the  Glocester  Militia,  and  attended 
by  the  young  gentleman  before  mentioned,  Mr.  Smith  as  chipf 
mourner.  The  officers  were  interred  in  a  large  grave,  north 
of  the  church-tower,  with  military  honors,  and  Lieutenant 
Ker  in  a  grave  on  the  other  side  of  the  tower.  The  remains 
of  the  nine  women,  which  had  been  deposited  in  the  church 
during  the  ceremony,  were  next  committed  to  the  earth. 

Two  monuments  have  been  erected  in  commemoration 
of  the  unfortunate  sufferers,  the  first  bearing  the  following  in- 
scription: 

To   the   memory  of  Captain   Ambrose  William  Barcroft, 
Lieutenant  Harry  Ash  and  Mr.  Kelly,  surgeon  of  the  63d 
regiment  of  Light  Infantry;  of  Lieutenant  Stephen  Jenner, of 
the   6th    West    India  regiment;  Lieutenant  Stains  of  the  2d 

VOL      !I  13* 


298  WRECK    OF    THE     SHIP    SIDNEY. 

West  India  regiment  and  two  hundred  and  fifteen  soldiers  mid 
searasn  and  nine  women,  who  perished  by  shipwreck  on  Port- 
land Beach,  opposite  the  villages  of  Langton,  Fleet  and 
Chickerell,  on  Wednesday  the  eighteenth  day  of  November, 
1795. 

On  the  second  monument  is  inscribed, 

Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Major  John  Charles  Ker,  Milita- 
ry Commandant  of  Hospitals  in  the  Leeward  Islands,  and  tc 
that  of  his  son,  Lieutenant  James  Ker,  of  the  40th  regiment 
of  foot,  who  both  departed  this  life  on  the  18th  of  November 
1795,  the  first  aged  40  and  the  latter  14  years. 

The  fate  of  both  was  truly  deplorable,  and  is  a  melancholy 
example  of  the  uncertainty  of  human  affairs. 

They  were  embarked  in  the  Venus  transport,  and  left  Ports- 
mouth the  15th  of  November,  with  a  fleet  full  of  troops,  des- 
tined to  the  West  Indies,  under  the  command  of  General  Sir 
Ralph  Abercrombe. 

A  storm  having  arisen  on  the  17th  which  lasted  till  the 
next  day,  many  of  the  ships  were  lost,  and  the  Venus  wreck- 
ed on  Portland  Beach. 

The  major's  body  could  not  be  found,  although  it  is  possible 
it  may  have  been  among  the  many  others  which  were  driven, 
ashore  and  buried  in  this  church-yard. 

His  son's  corpse  was  ascertained,  and  lies  interred  under 
this  stone,  which  was  raised  by  his  brother,  John  William 
Ker,  Esq. 


WRECK  OF  THE  BRITISH  SHIP  SIDNEY 

ON    A    REEF    OF  ROCKS    IN  THE    SOJTII    SEA 

The  Sidney  left  Port  Jackson,  on  the  coast  of  New  Hol- 
and,  on  the  l°2th  of  April,  1806,  bound  to  Bengal.  Intend- 
ing to  proceed  through  Dampier's  Straits,  her  course  was  dj' 


WRECK    OF   THE    SHIP   SIDNEY.  f99 

reeled  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  track  of  Captain  Hogan  of 
the  Cornwallis,  which,  as  laid  down  in  the  charts,  appeared 
a  safe  and  easy  passage.  But,  on  the  20th  of  May,  at  one  A. 
M.  we  ran  upon  a  most  dangerous  rock,  or  shoal  in  3  20  south 
latitude,  and  146  50  east  longitude,  and  as  this  reef  is  not 
noticed  in  any  map  or  chart,  it  appears  that  we  were  its  un- 
fortunate discoverers. 

On  Sunday  25  fathoms  of  water  were  found  over  the  tafFrail, 
and  six  fathoms  over  the  larboard  gangway;  only  nine  feet  on 
the  starboard  side,  and  12  feet  over  the  bows.  One  of  the 
boats  was  immediately  got  out,  with  a  bower-anchor;  but  on 
sounding,  at  the  distance  of  ten  fathoms  from  the  ship,  no 
ground  could  be  found  with  sixty  fathoms  of  line. 

When  she  struck  it  must  have  been  high  water,  for  at.  that 
time  there  was  no  appearance  of  any  reef  or  breaker;  but  as 
the  water  subsided,  the  shoal  began  to  show  itself,  with  a  num- 
ber of  small  black  rocks.  The  ship  had  been  striking  very 
hard,  and  began  to  yield  forward.  At  three  A.  M.  there  were 
six  feet  water  in  the  hold,  and  increasing  rapidly;  at  five  the 
vessel  was  setting  aft,  and  her  top  sides  parting  from  the  floor- 
heads. 

Upon  consultation  with  my  officers,  it  was  our  unanimous 
opinion,  that  the  ship  was  gone  beyond  recovery,  and  that  no 
exertions  could  avail  for  her  safety.  We  therefore  employed 
all  hands  in  getting  fhe  beats  ready  to  receive  the  crew,  who 
were  108  in  number.  Eight  bags  of  rice,  six  casks  of  water 
and  a  small  quantity  of  salted  beef  and  pork,  were  put  into 
the  long-boat  as  provisions  for  the  whole;  the  number  of  the 
people  prevented  us  from  taking  a  larger  stock,  as  the  three 
boats  were  barely  sufficient  to  receive  us  all  with  safety. 

We  remained  with  the  Sidney  until  five  P.  M.  on  the  twen- 
ty-first of  May,  when  there  were  three  feet  of  water  on  the 
orlop  deck;  therefore  we  now  thought  it  full  time  to  leave  the 
ship  to  her  fate,  and  to  seek  our  safety  in  the  boats.  Accord- 
ingly, I  embarked  in  the  long-boat  with  Mr.  Trounce,  second 
officer,  and  74  Lascars;  Mr.  Robson  and  Mr.  Halkart  with  16 
Lascars  were  in  the  cutter,  and  the  jolly-boat  was  allotted  to 
15  Dutch  Malays,  and  one  Seapoy. 

Being  desirous  to  ascertain  the  position  of  the  reef,  which 
could  be  done  by  making  the  Admiralty  Islands,  our  course  was 
shaped  thither,  steering  north  by  east  and  half  east.  During 
the  night,  it  blew  fresh,  and  the  long-boat  having  made  much 
water,  we  \vere  obliged  to  lighten  her,  by  throwing  a  great 
deal  of  lumber,  and  two  casks  of  water,  overboard.  Tho 


900  WRECK    OF   THB    SHIP    SIDNEY. 

three  boats  kept  close  in  company,  the  long-boat  having  th« 
jolly-boat  in  tow 

Finding  at  day-light  that  the  cutter  sailed  considerably  bet 
ter,  I  directed  Mr.  Robson  that  the  jolly-boat  might  be  takei 
in  tow  by  her.  But  the  wind  increasing  as  the  morning  ad- 
vanced, and  a  heavy  swell  rising,  the  jolly-boat,  while  in  tow 
by  the  cutter,  sunk  at  ten  o'clock,  and  all  on  board,  to  the 
number  of  16,  perished.  It  was  lamentable  to  witness  the 
fate  of  these  unhappy  men,  and  the  more  so,  as  it  was  not  in 
our  power  to  render  them  the  smallest  assistance. 

The  Admiralty  Islands  were  seen  at  noon  of  the  22d.  bear- 
ing N.  N.  E.  three  our  four  leagues  distant,  and  as  we  had  run 
about  fifty-eight  miles  in  the  boats,  upon  a  N.  by  E.  half  E. 
course,  the  situation  of  the  shoal  where  the  Sidney  struck 
was  .accurately  ascertained,  and  will  be  found  as  at  ., ve  laid 
down. 

From  the  Admiralty  Islands,  we  continued  standing  ta 
the  westward,  and  on  the  twenty-fifth,  made  a  small  island,  on 
which,  from  its  appearance,  I  was  induced  to  land  in  quest  of 
a  supply  of  water.  Therefore  Mr.  Robson,  myself,  and  20 
of  our  best  hands,  armed  with  heavy  clubs,  brought  from 
New  Caledonia,  (our  fire-arms  being  rendered  useless  from 
exposure  to  the  rain)  landed  through  a  high  surf,  to  the  utmost 
astonishment  of  the  inhabitants. 

As  far  as  might  be  judged,  they  had  nc  ver  before  seen  peo- 
ple of  our  complexion.  The  men  were  tall  and  well  made, 
wearing  their  hair  plaited  and  raised  above  the  head;  they 
had  no  resemblance  to  Malays  or  Caffres;  and  excepting  their 
color,  which  was  of  a  light  copper,  they  had  the  form  and 
features  of  Europeans.  They  were  entirely  naked.  We  also 
saw  a  number  of  women,  who  were  well  formed,  and  had  mild 
and  pleasing  features. 

We  were  received  on  the  beach  by  about  twenty  natives, 
who  immediately  supplied  each  of  us  with  a  cocoa-nut.  We 
succeeded  in  making  them  understand  that  we  wanted  water, 
on  which  they  made  signs  for  us  to  accompany  them  to  the 
interior  of  the  island;  on  compliance,  after  walking  about  a 
mile,  they  conJucted  us  into  a  thick  jungle,  and,  as  their  num- 
ber was  quickly  increasing,  I  judged  it  imprudent  to  proceed 
further.  Thus  returning  to  the  beach,  I  was  alarmed  to  find 
that  150,  or  more,  of  the  natives  had  assembled,  armed  with 
spears  eight  or  ten  feet  long.  One  of  them,  an  old  man  of 
venerable  appearance,  and  who  seemed  to  be  their  chief,  ap- 
oroached,  and  threw  his  spear  at  my  feet,  expressing  as  I  un 


WRECK    OF    THE     SHIP    SIDNEY  301 

derstood,  of  his  wish  that  we  should  part  v.ith  our  clubs  in 
like  manner.  Perceiving  at  this  time  that  a  crowd  of  women 
had  got  hold  of  the  stern-fast  of  the  cutter,  and  were  endeav- 
oring to  haul  her  on  shore  from  the  grapnel,  we  hastily  tried 
to  gain  the  boat.  The  natives  followed  us  closely;  some  of 
them  pointed  their  spears  at  us  as  we  retreated,  and  some  were 
thrown,  though  happily  without  effect;  and  to  us  they  seemed 
to  be  very  inexpert  in  the  management  of  their  weapons. — 
On  my  getting  into  the  water,  three  or  four  of  the  natives  fol- 
lowed me,  threatening  to  throw  their  spears,  and  when  I  was 
within  reach  of  the  boat,  one  of  them  made  a  thrust,  which 
was  prevented  from  taking  effect  by  Mr.  Robson,  who  warded 
off*  the  weapon.  When  we  had  got  into  the  boat,  and  were  put- 
ting off,  they  threw,  at  least,  200  spears,  none  of  which  struck, 
excepting  one,  which  gave  a  severe  wound  to  my  cook,  enter- 
ing immediately  above  the  jaw,  and  passing  through  hia 
mouth. 

Having  escaped  this  perilous  adventure  we  pursued  our 
course,  and  got  as  far  as  Dampier's  Straits,  in  as  favorable 
circumstances  as  our  situation  could  well  admit.  But  the 
Lascars,  now  being  within  reach  of  land,  became  impatient 
to  be  put  on  shore.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  exhorted  them  to 
persevere;  they  would  not  listen  to  argument,  and  expressed 
tneir  wish  rather  to  meet  with  immediate  death  on  shore,  than 
to  be  starved  to  death  in  the  boats.  Yielding  to  their  impor- 
tunity, I  at  length  determined  to  land  them  on  the  north-west 
extremity  of  the  island  of  Ceram,  from  whence  they  might 
travel  to  Amboyna  in  two  or  three  days.  Being  off  that  part 
of  the  island  on  the  ninth  of  June,  Mr.  Robson  volunteered  to 
land  a  portion  of  the  people  in  the  cutter,  to  return  to  the 
long-boat,  and  the  cutter  to  be  then  given  up  to  such  further 
portion  of  the  crew  as  chose  to  join  the  party  first  landed. — 
Accordingly  he  went  ashore  with  the  cutter,  but  to  my  great 
mortification,  after  waiting  two  days,  there  was  no  appearance 
cf  his  return  or  of  the  cutter 

We  concluded  that  the  people  had  been  detained  either  by 
the  Dutch  or  the  natives.  Yet  as  the  remaining  part  of  the 
Lascars  were  desirous  to  be  landed,  we  stood  in  with  the  long- 
boat, and  put  them  on  shore  near  the  point  where  we  suppos- 
ed the  cutter  to  have  landed  her  people. 

Our  number  in  the  long-boat  were  now  reduced  to  seven- 
teen, consisting  of  Mr.  Trounce,  Mr.  Halkart,  myself  and  14 
Lascars  and  others.  Our  stock  of  provision  was  two  bags  of 
rice  and  one  gang  cask  of  water,  with  which  we  conceiveo 


-J02  WRECK    OF    THE     SHIP    SIDNEY 

we  might  nold  out  until  reaching  Bencoolen,  whither  we  eta 
termined  to  make  the  best  of  our  way.  The  allowance  ta 
.1  man  we  fixed  at  one  tea-cupful  of  rice  and  a  pint  of  wa- 
*<;r  daily,  but  we  soon  found  it  necessary  to  make  a  considera- 
ble reduction. 

Proceeding  through  the  straits  of  Bantam,  we  met  in  our 
course  several  JNlalay  prows,  none  of  which  took  notice  of  us 
excepting  one,  which  gave  chase  for  a  day,  and  would  have 
come  up  with  us  had  we  not  got  off  under  cover  of  a  very 
dark  night.  Continuing  onwards,  we  passed  through  the 
strait  of  Saypay,  where  we  caught  a  large  shark.  Our  spirits 
were  much  elated  by  this  valuable  prize,  which  we  lost  no 
time  in  getting  on  board;  and  having  kindled  a  fire  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  boat,  it  was  roasted  with  all  expedition.  Such  was 
the  keenness  of  our  appetite,  that  although  the  shark  must 
have  weighed  150  or  160  pounds,  not  a  vestige  of  it  remained 
at  the  close  of  the  day.  But  we  were  afflicted  on  the  follow- 
ing day  with  the  most  violent  complaint  of  the  stomach  and 
bowels,  which  reduced  us  exceedingly,  and  left  us  languid 
and  spiritless,  insomuch  that  we  now  despaired  of  safety. 

On  the  2d  of  July  I  lost  an  old  and  faithful  servant,  who 
died  from  want  of  sustenance;  and  on  the  fourth  we  made 
Java  head;  at  the  same  time  catching  two  large  boobies, 
which  afforded  all  hands  a  most  precious  and  refreshing  meal. 
At  midnight  of  the  ninth,  we  came  to  off  Pulo  Penang,  on 
.'he  west  coat  of  Sumatra;  but  at  day-light,  when  endeavoring 
to  weigh  our  anchor  and  run  close  in  shore,  we  were  so  much 
exhausted  that  our  united  strength  proved  insufficient  to  get  it 
up. 

On  a  signal  of  distress  being  made,  a  sanpan  with  two  Ma- 
lays came  off,  and  as  I  was  the  only  person  in  the  long-boat 
who  had  sufficient  strength  to  move,  I  accompanied  them  on 
shore.  However,  I  found  myself  so  weak  on  landing  that  I 
fell  to  the  ground,  and  it  was  necessary  to  carry  me  to  an  ad- 
jacent house.  Such  refreshments  as  could  be  procured  were 
immediately  sent  off  to  the  long-boat,  and  we  recruited  so 
ra(  i-J'v  that  in  two  days  we  found  ourselves  in  a  condition  to 
proceed  oo  our  vovage.  Having  weighed  anchor  on  the  12th 
ol  July,  we  set  sai*,  and  on  the  19th  arrived  off  the  island  of 
Bencoolen. 

Here  I  met  with  an  old  friend.  Captain  Chauvet  of  the 
Perseverance,  whose  kindness  and  humanity  I  shall  ever  re- 
member and  giatefully  acknowledge  On  the  day  subsequent 
io  my  arrival,  I  waited  on  Mi  Parr  the  resident,  Irom 
I  received  every  attention. 


LOBS    OF  THE    DUKE    WILLIAM    TRANSPORT.  303 

Leaving  Bencoolen  on  the  17th  of  August,  in  the  Perse- 
verance, I  arrived  at  Penang  on  the  27th,  where  I  was  agree- 
ably surprized  to  meet  my  late  chief  mate  Mr.  Robson,  who, 
along  with  the  Lascars,  had  landed  at  Ceram.  They  reached 
Amboyna  in  safety,  where  they  were  received  by  the  Dutch 
governor,  Mr  Cranstoun,  with  a  humanity  and  benevolence 
that  reflect  honor  on  his  character.  He  supplied  them  with 
"vhatever  their  wa:>t,3  required.  Mr.  Robson  was  accommodat- 
ed at  his  own  tabls,  and,  on  leaving  Amboyna,  he  furnished  him 
money  for  himself  and  his  people,  for  the  amount  of  which  he 
refused  to  take  any  receipt  or  acknowledgment.  He  also 
gave  Mr.  Robson  letters  to  the  governor-general  of  Batavia, 
recommending  him  to  his  kind  offices.  Such  honorable  con- 
duct from  the  governor  of  a  foreign  country,  and  with  which 
we  were  at  war,  cannot  be  too  widely  promulgated.  From 
Amboyna,  Mr  Robson  embarked  in  the  Pallas  a  Dutch  fri- 
gate, for  Batavia,  which  on  the  passage  thither  was  captured 
by  his  Majesty's  ships  Greyhound  and  Harriet,  and  brought 
to  Prince  of  Wales's  island. 

From  Penang  1  sailed  to  Bengal  with  the  Paruna,  Captain 
Demson,  and  arrived  safely  in  Calcutta  in  the  beginning  of 
May.  1806 


LOSS  OF  THE  DUKE  WILLIAM 
TRANSPORT. 

The  Duke  William  Transport,  commanded  bv  Captain 
Nicholls,  was  fitted  out  by  him  with  all  possible  expedition  m 
the  year  1758,  and  lay  at  Spithead  to  receive  orders,  .at 
length  he  proceeded  to  Cork,  under  convoy  of  the  York  man> 
of-wur  to  take  in  soldiers  for  America,  but  just  on  approach- 
ing  the  Irish  coast,  a  thick  tog  came  on  whereby  he  lost  sight 
of  the  ship,  and  as  it  began  to  blow  hard  that  night  and  the 


504  LOSS    OP  THE    DUKE  WILLIAM    TRANSPORT. 

next  day,  he  was  obliged  to  bear  away  for  Waterford.  When 
orf  Credenhead,  guns  were  fired  for  a  pilot;  none,  however, 
came  off,  and  Captain  Nicholls,  being  unacquainted  with  the 
harbor,  brought  the  ship  up,  though  the  sea  ran  very  high.  A 
pilot  at  last  came  on  board,  but  the  transport  broke  from  her 
anchor,  and  on  getting  under  sail,  it  was  almost  dark.  After 
running  along  for  some  time  under  the  forc-top-sail,  triple- 
-eefed,  and  scarce  in  sight  of  land,  Captain  Nicholls  cast  an- 
chor; and  next  morning  to  his  great  surprise,  found  high 
rocks  so  close  astern,  that  he  durst  not  veer  away  a  cable. — 
The  sheet  anchor  had  been  let  go  in  the  night,  and  was  the 
chief  means  of  preservation;  the  yards  and  topmasts  were 
now  got  down,  a  signal  of  distress  hoisted,  and  many  guns 
fired.  A  boat  then  came  from  the  windward,  and  a  man  in 
her  said,  if  Captain  Nicholls  would  give  him  fifty  pounds,  he 
would  come  on  board,  which  being  promised,  he  ascended  the 
stern  ladder.  But  when  he  found  the  ship  so  near  the  rocks, 
he  declared  that  he  would  not  remain  on  board  for  all  the  ship 
was  worth.  However,  Captain  Nicholls  told  him,  that  having 
come  off  as  a  pilot  acquainted  with  the  harbor,  he  should  stay 
and  called  to  the  people  in  the  boat  to  hoist  their  sails,  as  he 
was  going  to  cut  her  adrift,  which  he  did  accordingly.  Mean 
time  the  pilot  was  in  the  greatest  confusion;  but  the  captain 
said  it  was  in  vain  to  complain,  and  if  by  cutting,  or  slipping 
the  cables,  he  could  carry  the  ship  to  a  place  of  safety,  he 
was  ready  to  do  it.  The  pilot  replied,  that  he  could  neither 
take  charge  of  her,  nor  venture  to  carry  her  in,  for  he  appre- 
hended the  ship  would  be  on  shore,  and  dashed  to  pieces 
against  the  rocks,  before  she  would  veer;  and  if  she  did  veer, 
that  a  large  French  East  Indiaman  had  been  lost  upon  the 
bar,  which  made  the  channel  very  narrow,  and  he  did  not 
know  the  marks,  so  as  to  carry  her  clear  of  the  wreck.  The 
ship  now  rode  very  hard,  and  it  being  Sunday  a  great  many  peo- 
ple were  ready  on  shore  to  plunder  her,  should  she  strike.  Of 
this  Captain  Nicholls  entertained  many  apprehensions  at  low 
water,  as  she  pitched  so  much;  but  fortunately,  as  the  weath- 
er became  more  moderate,  two  English  frigates  which  lay  in 
the  harbor,  sent  their  boats  to  his  assistance,  and  the  custom- 
bouse  smack  arriving,  he  escaped,  though  very  narrowly,  from 
the  threatened  danger. 

The  Duke  William  soon  afterwards  proceeded  to  Cork  to 
receive  soldiers,  and  sailed  from  thence  with  a  fleet  of  trans- 
ports to  Halifax,  where  thry  arrived  safe,  and  went  to  besiege 
Louisbourg  After  landing  t!,r  troops,  the  transports,  and 


LOSS   OF  THE    DUKE  WILIaAM    TRANSPOR  •  905 

•ome  of  the  men  of  war,  went  into  Gabarus  Bay,  whof°  the 
admiral  allowed  the  captains  of  the  former  to  land  their  men, 
being  sickly,  on  a  small  peninsula,  which  they  engaged  to  de- 
fend from  the  enemy.  Four  or  five  hundred  people,  there- 
fore, immediately  set  to  work,  and  cut  a  ditch,  six  feet  wide 
and  four  feet  deep,  quite  across  the  peninsula,  as  a  protection 
against  the  Indians;  they  planted  cannon,  and  also  placed 
several  swivels  on  .the  stumps  of  trees  cut  down  for  the  pur- 
pose Huts-  were  next  erected,  gardens  made,  and  the  whole 
ground  cleared  and  converted  into  pleasant  arbours,  from  se- 
lecting portions  of  the  shrubs  and  trees. 

Here  the  captains  of  the  transports  remained  some  time, 
during  which  the  sick  recovered  surprisingly,  and  cures  were 
operated  by  a  remarkable  expedient,  called  a  ground-sweat 
This  was  digging  a  hole  in  the  ground,  and,  being  put  into  it 
naked,  the  earth  was  thrown  over  the  patient  up  to  the  chin, 
for  a  few  minutes.  At  first  the  earth  felt  cold,  but  it  quickly 
brought  on  a  gentle  perspiration,  which  cured  the  disorder. — 
No  one  person  died  who  underwent  such  treatment. 

On  the  reduction  of  Louisbourg,  the  island  of  St.  John, 
in  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  capitulated, 
and  the  inhabitants  were  to  be  sent  to  France  in  the  English 
transports.  They  therefore  left  the  peninsula,  which  the  peo- 
ple had  entrenched,  and,  after  much  bad  weather,  in  which 
the  Duke  William  parted  her  cable,  arid  after  a  tedious  pas- 
sage, arrived  at  St.  John's;  but  not  without  the  whole  fleet 
being  in  danger  of  shipwreck.  A  party  of  soldiers  brought 
the  inhabitants  down  the  country  to  the  different  transports, 
and  the  Duke  William,  being  the  largest,  the  missionary 
priest,  who  was  the  principal  man  there,  was  ordered  to  go 
with  Captain  Nicholls.  On  his  arrival,  he  requested  permis- 
sion for  the  other  people  who  wished  it,  to  come  on  board  to 
be  married,  and  a  great  many  marriages  followed,  from  an  idea 
prevailing  that  all  the  single  men  would  be  made  soldiers. 

Nine  transports  sailed  in  company;  Captain  Wilson  with 
Lord  Rollo  and  some  soldiers,  and  Captain  Moore  also  with 
soldiers,  under  convoy  of  the  Hind  sloop  of  war;  the  rest  be- 
ing cartels,  had  no  occasion  for  convoy.  Captain  Moore's 
vessel  was  lost  going  through  the  Gut  of  Canso,  by  striking 
on  a  sunken  rock,  whence  the  soldiers  whom  she  carried  were 
put  on  board  Captain  Wilson's  ship  bound  to  Louisbourg. 
Captain  Moore,  his  son,  mate  and  carpenter,  took  a  passage 
in  the  Duke  William. 

Contrary  winds  obliged  the  fleet  to  lie  in  the  Gut  of  Can- 


306  LOSS    OF  THE    DUKE  WILLIAM    TRANSPORT. 

»o,  where  the  French  prisoners  were  permitted  to  go  ashore 
frequently,  and  remain  there  all  night,  making  fires  in  a  wood 
to  keep  themselves  warm,  and  some  of  them  obtained  muskets 
from  Captain  Nicholls  for  shooting  game,  as  they  \\ere  not 
afraid  of  meeting  with  the  Indians.  About  three  hours  after 
departing,  one  of  them  came  running  back,  and  begged,  for 
God's  sake,  that  the  Captain  would  immediately  return  on 
board  with  his  people,  as  they  had  met  with  a  party  of  In- 
dians, who  were  coming  down  to  scalp  them.  Captain  Nich- 
olis,  with  the  other  masters  and  sailors,  hastily  Vent  off,  and 
had  scarce  got  on  board  when  the  Indians  actually  reached  ^ 
the  place  that  tKey  had  left.  Thus  they  had  a  very  narrow 
escape  of  beii.g  murdered  and  scalped,  had  not  the  French 
been  faithful,  and  Providence  interposed. 

The  fleet,  in  gaining  the  Gut  of  Canso,  had  been  assailed 
by  dangers.  During  a  fine  night,  some  of  the  transports, 
worked  within  the  (jut,  but  Captain  Nicholls,  and  Captain 
Johnson  of  the  Parnassus,  cast  anchor  without  it. 

In  the  night  a  hard  gale  arose,  and  increased  so  much,  that 
the  latter  let  go  three  anchors,  yet  the  ship  drove  ashore  and 
was  lost.  Another  ship,  the  Narcissus,  also  parted  from  her 
anchors,  and  was  obliged  to  run  ashore,  and  most  of  the  rest 
suffered  damage.  When  the  weather  became  somewhat  mod- 
erate, Captain  Nicholls,  found  that  all  the  French  prisoners 
on  board  the  Parnassus,  had  gained  the  land,  and  had  made 
themselves  large  fires  in  the  woods,  on  account  of  the  cold 
showery  weather  which  prevailed;  and,  on  joining  them  there, 
he  told  them,  to  their  great  joy,  that  he  would  send  boats  to 
carry  them  off.  This  he  did  next  morning,  and,  finding  it  im- 
possible to  save  the  hull  of  the  Parnassus,  though  another 
ship  was  got  off  shore,  every  thing  worth  saving  was  taken 
out  of  her,  and  in  particular  one  of  the  pumps,  which  was 
carried  on  board  the  Duke  William  to  serve  in  case  of  emer- 
gency. 

On  the  25th  of  November  1758,  Captain  Nicholls  sailed 
from  the  Bay  of  Canso,  leading  other  six  transports,  with  a 
strong  breeze  at  north-west.  All  the  captains  agreed  to  make 
the  best  of  their  way  to  France,  and  not  to  go  to  Louisbourg, 
as  it  was  a  bad  time  of  the  year  to  beat  on  that  coast,  and 
then  took  leave  of  the  agent  who  was  bound  thither. 

The  third  day  after  being  at  sea,  a  storm  blew  in  the  night; 
being  dark  with  thick  weather  and  sleet,  the  Duke  William 
parted  company  with  three  of  the  ships,  and  the  storm  still 
continuing,  in  a  day  or  two  parted  with  the  rest.  Neverthe- 


LOSS   OF  THE    DUKE  WILLIAM    TRANSPORT  SO? 

ess  the  ship  remained  in  good  condition,  and,  though  the  sea 
was  mountains  high,  she  went  over  it  like  a  bird,  and  made 
fto  water.  On  the  10th  of  December,  Captain  Nicholls  saw 
«»  sail,  which  proved  to  be  one  of  the  transports,  the  Violet, 
Captain  Sugget.  On  coming  up  he  asked  how  all  were  on 
board,  to  which  Captain  Sugget  replied,  "  In  a  terrible  situa- 
tion. He  had  a  great  deal  of  water  in  the  ship;  her  pumps 
were  choked,  and  he  was  much  afraid  that  she  would  sink  be- 
fore morning."  Captain  Nicholls  begged  him  to  keep  up  his 
spirits,  and  said,  that,  if  possible,  he  would  stay  by  him  and 
spare  him  the  pump  he  had  got  out  of  the  Parnassus;  he  also 
told  him  that,  as  the  gale  had  continued  so  long,  he  hoped 
that  it  would  moderate  after  twelve  o'clock.  Unfortunately, 
however,  it  rather  increased,  and,  on  changing  the  watch  at 
twelve,  he  found  that  he  went  fast  a-head  of  the  Violet, 
whence,  if  he  did  not  shorten  sail,  he  would  be  out  of  sight 
of  her  before  morning.  Captain  Nicholls  then  consulted  with 
Captain  Moore  and  the  mate,  on  what  was  most  proper  to  be 
done,  and  all  were  unanimous,  that  the  only  means  of  saving 
the  people  in  the  Violet,  was  to  keep  company  with  her  until 
the  weather  should  moderate,  and  that  the  main-topsail  should 
be  taken  in. 

Therefore,  the  main-topsail  of  the  Duke  William  was  taken 
in,  and  three  pumps  got  out  to  be  ready  in  case  of  necessity. 
The  spare  pump  was  forced  down  an  after  hatchway,  and 
shipped  in  an  empty  butt,  of  which  the  French  had  brought 
several  on  board  to  wash  in.  Every  thing  was  preparing,  both 
for  pumping  and  bailing,  should  it  be  required,  and  the  peo- 
ple of  the  transport  thought  themselves  secure  against  all 
hazards;  they  now  believed  that  the  Violet  gained  on  them, 
and  were  glad  to  see  her  quite  plain  about  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon. 

On  changing  the  watch  they  found  the  ship  still  tight  and 
going  very  well,  the  carpenter  assuring  Captain  Nicholls  that 
there  was  no  water  to  strike  a  pump.  He,  fatigued  with  walk- 
ing the  deck  so  long,  designed  going  below  to  smoke  a  pipe 
of  tobacco  to  beguile  time,  and  desired  the  mate  to  acquaint 
him  immediately  should  any  alteration  take  place. 

The  board  next  the  lower  part  of  the  pump  had  been  driver 
to  see  how  much  water  was  in  the  well;  and  every  half  hour, 
when  the  ball  was  struck,  the  carpenter  went  down.     As  he 
had  hitherto  found  no  water,  Captain  Nichollb  felt  quite  com 
Portable  in  his  situation  in  particular,  and,  on  going  below,  or 
dered  a  little  negro  boy,  whom  he  had  as  an  apprentice,  to  ge< 
him  a  pipe  of  tobacco. 


308  tOtS    OF  TT?E    OtTKI  WTMIA* 

Soon  after  filling  and  lighting  his  pip»,  be  was  thrown  from 
his  chair,  while  sitting  in  his  state-room,  hy  a  blow  that  the 
ship  received  from  a  terrible  sea;  on  which  he  dispatched  the 
boy  to  ask  Mr.  Fox,  the  mate,  whether  any  thing  was  wash- 
ed over.  Mr.  Fox  returned  answer,  that  all  was  ?afe,  and  he 
saw  the  Violet  coming  up  fast.  Captain  Nicholls  then  being 
greatly  fatigued,  thought  he  would  endeavor  to  procure  re- 
freshment from  a  little  sleep,  and,  without  undressing,  threw 
himself  on  the  side  of  his  bed.  But  before  his  eyes  were 
closed,  Mr.  Fox  came  to  inform  him  that  the  carpenter  had 
found  the  water  above  the  kelson,  and  that  the  ship  had  cer- 
tainly sprung  a  leak;  he  immediately  rose  and  took  the  car- 
penter down  to  the  hold  along  with  him,  when,  to  his  infinite 
surprise,  he  heard  the  water  roaring  in  dreadfully.  On  fur- 
ther examination,  he  found  that  a  butt  had  started,  and  the 
more  they  endeavored  to  press  any  thing  into  it  the  more  the 
plank  forsook  the  timber.  Therefore  they  went  on  deck,  to 
encourage  the  people  at  the  pumps,  after  making  a  mark  with 
chalk  to  ascertain  how  the  water  gained  upon  them. 

Captain  .Nicholls,  considering  the  case  desperate,  went  to 
all  the  Frenchmen's  cabins,  begging  them  to  rise;  he  said, 
that,  although  their  lives  were  not  in  danger,  their  assistance 
was  desired  at  the  pumps',  where  it  would  be  of  the  greate«*. 
service.  They  got  up  accordingly,  and  cheerfully  lent  their  aid 
By  this  time  it  was  day-light,  when,  to  the  great  surprise  an<* 
concern  of  the  Duke  William's  people,  they  saw  the  Viole* 
on  her.  broadside  at  a  little  distance,  the  fore  yard  broke  ir 
the  slings,  the  fore-topsail  set,  and  her  crew  endeavoring  tr 
free  her  of  the  mizen-mast;  probably  she  had  just  then  broach- 
ed to  by  the  fore-yard  giving  way.  A  violent  squall  came 
on,  which  lasted  for  ten  minutes,  and  when  it  cleared  up,  they 
discovered  that  the  unfortunate  ship  had  gone  to  the  bottom, 
with  nearly  four  hundred  souls.  The  stoutest  was  appalled 
by  the  event,  especially  as  their  own  fate  seemed  to  be  ap- 
proaching. 

All  the  tubs  above  mentioned  were  prepared,  and  gangways 
made;  the  Frenchmen  assisted,  and  also  the  women,  who  be- 
haved with  uncommon  resolution.  The  hatches  were  then 
opened,  and  as  the  water  flowed  fast  into  the  hold,  the  tuba 
being  filled,  were  hauled  up  and  emptied  on  the  up,>er  deck, 
which,  with  three  pumps  constantly  at  work,  and  bailing  out 
of  the  gun-room  scuttle,  discharged  a  great  quantity  of  water, 
A  seam  would  have  done  them  little  injury;  but  a  butt's  end 
was  more  than  they  could  manage,  though  every  method  that 


LOSS    OF  THE    DTJKE  WJLI1AM    TRANSPORT.  809 

eould  be  deemed  serviceable  was  tried.     The  spritsail  waa 
quilted  with  oakum  and  flax,  and  one  of  the  top-gi'lint  sails 
was  prepared  in  the  same  manner,  to  see  whether  any  thing  • 
would  sink  into  the  leak,  but  all  in  vain. 

In  this  dismal  condition  the  transport  continued  three  days; 
notwithstanding  all  the  exertions  of  the  people,  she  was  full 
of  water,  and  they  expected  her  to  .sink  every  minute.  They 
had  already  got  the  whole  liquor  and  provisions.  The  hold 
now  being  full,  and  the  ship  swimming  only  by  the  decks  from 
the  buoyancy  of  empty  casks  below,  the  people,  about  six 
o'clock  on  the  fourth  morning,  came  to  Captain  Nicholls,  de- 
claring that  they  had  done  all  that  lay  in  their  power,  that  the 
ship  was  full  of  water,  and  that  it  was  in  vain  to  pump  any 
more.  Captain  Nicholls  acknowledged- the  truth  of  what  they 
said;  he  told  them  that  he  could  not  desire  them  to  do  more, 
that  they  had  behaved  like  brave  men,  and  must  now  trust  in 
Providence  alone,  as  there  waa  no  expedient  left  for  saving 
their  lives. 

He  then  acquainted  the  priest  with  their  situation;  that  ev- 
ery method  for   saving  the   ship  and  the   lives  of  the  people 
had  been  adopted,  but  that  he  expected  the  decks  to  blow  up 
every  moment.     The  priest  was  stunned  by  the  intelligence, 
but  answered,  that  he  would  immediately  go  and  give  his  peo- 
ple absolution  for  dying;   "  which  he  did,"  says  Captain  Nich- 
olls;   "  and  I  think  a  more  melancholy  scene  cannot   be  sup- 
posed than  so  many  people,  hearty,  strong  and  in  health,  look- 
.  ing  at  each  other  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  bewailing  theii  un- 
happy condition.     No  fancy  can  picture  the   seeming  distrac- 
tion of  the  poor  unhappy  children  clinging  to  their  mothers,  and 
the  wives  hanging  over  their  husbands, -lamenting  their   mis- 
erable fate:— Shocking  situation!    words  cannot  describe  it." 
Captain  Nicholls  then  called  the  men  down  the  main-hatch- 
way, along  with  him,  to  examine  the   leak  in   the  hold.      He 
told  them  they  must  be  content  with  their  fate;    and   as  they 
were  certain  they  had  done  their  duty,  they  should  submit  to 
Providence  with  pious  resignation.     He  walked  on  deck  with 
Captain   Moore,  desiring  him  to   devise  any  expedient  to  save 
them  from  perishing.     With  tears  in  his  eyes,  Captain  Moore 
assured  him  that  he  knew  of  none,  as  all  that  could  bethought 
of  had  been  used.      Providence,  in  Captain   Nicholls'  belief, 
induced  him  to  propose  attempting  to   hoist   out  the   boats,  so 
that  if  a  ship  should   appear,  their   lives  might  be   saved,  as 
the  gale  was  more  moderate.     But  to  this   proposal,  Captain 
Moore  .said  it  would  be   impossible,  as  every  body  would  en- 


310  LOSS   OF  THE    DUKE  W1LLJAM    TRANSPORT. 

dea>«>r  to  get  into  them  Captain  Nichoiia,  howevnr.  was  of 
a  different  oi-inion,  observing,  that,  under  thoir  severe  trial, 
•  the  sailors  had  behaved  with  uncommon  resolution,  and  were 
very  obedient  to  his  commands,  he  flattered  himself  that  they 
would  all -continue  so'  and  all  were  sensible,  that  in  case  the 
ship  broached  to,  the  masts  must  be  cut  away,  to  prevent  her 
from  oversetting;  when  it  would  be  beyond  their  power  to  hoist 
out  the  boats.  He  then  called  the  mates,  carpenters  and  men 
and  proposed  to  get  out  the  boats,  at  the  same  time  acquaint- 
ing them  that  it  was  to  save  every  soul  on  board  if  possible, 
and  declaring  that  if  any  person  should  be  so  rash  as  to  insist 
on  going  into  them,  besides  those  he  should  think  proper,  that 
they  should  immediately  be  scuttled.  But  all  solemnly  main- 
tained that  his  commands  should  be  as  implicitly  obeyed  as  if 
the  ship  had  been  in  her  former  good  condition;  thus  setting 
an  example  which  is  rarerly  to'be  found. 

Captain  Nicholls  then  went  to  acquaint  the  chief  prisoner 
on  board  with  what  was  about  to  be  attempted.  He  was  an 
hundred  and  ten  years  old,  the  father  of  the  whole  island  of 
St  John's,  and  had  a  number  of  children,  grand-children  and 
other  relations,  in  the  ship.  His  observation  was,  that  he 
was  convinced  Captain  Nicholls  would  not  do  a  bad  action, 
for,  by  experience,  he  had  found  how  much  care  he  had  taken 
of  him  and  his  friends,  and  likewise  what  endeavors  had  been 
used  to  save  the  ship  and  their  lives;  therefore  they  were 
ready  to  assist  in  any  thing  he  should  propose.  Captain 
Nicholls  assured  him  that  he  would  not  forsake  them,  but  run 
an  equal  chance;  this  he  thought  the  only  means  of  saving 
their  lives,  should  it  please  Providence  to  send  any  ship  to 
their  assistance,  and  it  was  their  duty  to  use  all  means  given 
to  them. 

He  next  asked  Mr.  Fox  and  the  carpenter  whether  they 
were  willing  to  venture  in  the  long-boat,  to  which  they  boldly 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  as,  whether  they  perished  on  the 
spot,  or  a  mile  or  two  farther  off,  was  a  matter  of  very  little 
consequence,  and  as  there  was  no  prospect  but  death  in  re- 
maining, they  would  willingly  make  the  attempt.  Captain 
Moore,  the  carpenter  and  mate,  also  willingly  agreed  to  his 
proposal  to  go  in  the  cutter. 

The  cutter  was  accordingly  got  over  the  side,  and  the  ship 
lying  pretty  quiet,  they  cut  the  tackles,  when  she  dropt  very 
well  into  the  water,  and  the  penter  brought  her  up.  They 
next  went  to  work  with  the  long-bont,  and  day-light  navin£ 
fairly  come  in,  gave  them  ^reat  spirits,  as  they  flattered  them 


LOtS    OF  THE   DUKE  WILLIAM   TRANSMHT.  311 

•elves,  should  it  please  God  Almighty  to  send  a  ship,  it  would 
be  in  their  power  to  save  all  their  lives,  the  wentfior  being 
now  much  more  moderate  than  berore. 

The  mate  and  carpenter  having  cut  the  runners,  the  long- 
boat fell  into  the  water  as  weU  as  the  cutter  had  done,  and  a 
proper  penter  being  made  fast,  she  brought  up  properly. 

People  were  stationed  at  the  mam  and  fore-toprnast  heada 
to  look  out  for  a  sail,  when  to  the  unspeakable  joy  of  all  on 
board,  the  man  at  the  main-topmast  cried  out  trmt  he  saw  two 
ships  right  astern  making  after  the  transport.  Captain  Nich- 
olls  having  acquainted  the  priest,  and  the  old  gentleman,  with 
the  good  news,  the  latter  took  him  in  his  aged  arms,  and  wept 
for  joy.  The  captain  ordered  the  ensign  to  be  hoisted  to  the 
main-topmast  shrouds,  and  the  guns  to  be  got  all  clear  for 
firing.  The  weather  was  very  h«zy,  and  the  ships  not  far  dis- 
tant when  first  discovered;  whenever  the  transport  hoisted  her 
signal  of  distress,  they  shewed  English  colors,  and  seemed  to 
be  West  Indiamen;  of  about  three  or  four  hundred  tons. 

Captain  Nicholls  continued  loading  and  firing  as  fast  as 
possible,  when  he  perceived  the  two  ships  speak  with  each 
other,  and  setting  their  foresail  and  topsails,  they  hauled  their 
wind,  and  stood  off.  Supposing  thai  the  size  of  his  ship^  and 
her  having  so  many  men  on  board,  added  .to  its  being  the  time 
of  war,  might  occasion  distrust,  he  ordered  the  main-mast  to 
be  cut  away  to  undeceive  them.  People  had  been  placed 
in  the  shrouds  to  cut  away  in  case  of  necessity;  but  one 
of  the  shrouds  not  being  properly  cut,  checked  the  main-mast 
and  made  it  fall  right  across  the  boats.  On  this  Captain 
Nicholls  hastily  run  aft,  and  cut- the  penters  of  both  the  boats, 
otherwise  they  would  have  been  staved  to  pieces,  and  sunk 
immediately.  A  dismal  thing  it  was  to  cut  away  what  could 
be  the  only  means  of  saving  the  people's  lives,  and  at  the 
same  time  see  the  ships  so  basely  leave  them.  No  words  can 
picture  their  distress;  driven  from  the  greatest  joy  to  the  ut- 
most despair,  death  now  appeared  more  dreadful.  They  had 
only  the  foresail  hanging  in  the  brails;  and  the  braces  of 
both  penters  being  rendered  useless  by  the  fall  of  the  main- 
mast, and  the  yard  flying  backward  and  forward  by  the  rolling 
of  the  ship,  rendered  them  apprehensive  that  she  would  instant- 
ly overset.  The  ship  ran  from  the  boats,  until  they  remained 
just  in  sight;  and  finding  they  made  no  endeavor  to  join  her, 
though  each  was  provided  with  oars,  foremast  and  foresail 
Captain  Nicholls  consulted  with  the  boatswain  on  what  was 
most  proper  to  be  done  in  their  dangerous  condition.  He  said 


312  LOSS   OF  TUB    DUKE  WILLIAM    TRANSPORT 

that  he  thought  they  should  bring  the  ship  to  at  all  events, 
though  he  acknowledged  it  a  dreadful  alternative  to  hazard  hef 
oversetting;  the  boatswain  agreed  that  it  was  extremely  dan- 
gerous, as  the  vessel  steered  very  well.  However,  Captain 
Nicholls  finding  that  the  men  in  the  boat  did  not  attempt  to 
join  him,  called  the  people  aft,  and  told  them  his  resolution. 
They  said  it  was  desperaie,  and  so  was  their  condition,  but 
they  were  ready  to  do  whatever  he  thought  best.  But  Cap- 
tain Moore  seemed  to  be  quite  against  it.  Captain  JNicholls 
then  acquainted  the  old  gentleman,  the  priest  and  the  rest  oi 
the  people,  who  were  pleased  to  say,  let  the  consequence  be 
what  it  might,  they  should  be  satisfied,  he  had  acted  for  the 
best,  and  all  were  resigned  to  the  consequences. 

He  therefore  ordered  men  to  every  fore  shroud,  and  one 
with  an  axe  to  the  fore-mast  to  cut  it  away  should  that  measure 
become  indispensible.  But  his  own  situation  he  declares  to 
have  been  in  the  meantime  dreadful;  in  reflecting  that  this  al- 
ternative, thougn  in  his  judgment  right,  might  be  the  means 
of  sending  nearly  four  hundred  souls  to  eternity.  However, 
the  AWnighty  endowed  him  with  resolution  to  persevere,  and 
he  gave  orders  to  bring  the  ship  to.  In  hauling  out  the  miz- 
en,  which  had  been  greatly  chafed,  it  split;  a  new  staysail 
was  then  bent  to  bring  the  ship  to,  which  had  the  desired  ef- 
fect after  a  considerable  time,  for  a  heavy  sea  striking  on  the 
starboard  quarter,  excited  an  apprehension  that  it  would  be 
necessary  to  cut  away  the  mast.  When  the  men  in  the  yawl 
saw  the  ship  lying  to  for  them,  they  got  up  their  foremast,  and 
run  on  board,  holding  the  sheets  in  their  hands  on  account  of 
the  wind;  and  as  soon  as  they  arrived  some  men  were  sent  to 
row  to  the  assistance  of  the  long-boat.  They  soon  joined  her, 
got  her  foremast  up,  set  the  sail,  as  the  cutter  likewise  did, 
and  to  the  great  joy  of  all,  reached  the  ship  in  safety. 

Just  as  the  boats  came  up,  the  people  at  the  mast-head  ex- 
claimed, "A  sail!  a  sail!"  and  the  captain  thought  it  better 
to  let  the  ship  lie,  as  by  seeing  the  main-mast  gone,  it  might 
be  known  that  she  was  in  distress.  The  weather  was  hazy, 
and  he  could  see  to  no  great  distance,  but  the  strange  vessel 
was  soon  near  enough  to  perceive  and  hear  his  guns.  She 
had  scarce  hoisted  her  colors,  which  were  Danish,  when  her 
main-topsail  sheet  gave  way;  on  observing  which,  Captain 
Nicholls  conceiving  her  maiii-topsail  was  to  be  clewed  up,  and 
she  would  come  to  his  assistance,  immediately  imparted  the 
good  news  to  the  priest  and  the  rest.  Poor  deluded  people, 
(hey  hugged  him  in  their  arms,  calling  him  their  friend  and 


LOSS    OF    THE    DUKE     WILLIAM    TRANSPORT  913 

preserver;  but,  alas!  it  was  short  lived  joy,  for  as  soon  as  the 
Dane  had  knotted,  or  spliced  her  topsail  sheet,  she  stood 
away,  and  left  them.  "What  pen  is  able,"  says  Captain 
Nicholls,  "  to  describe  the  despair  that  reigned  in  the  ship!" 
The  poor  unhappy  people  wringing  their  hands,  cried  out, 
"that  God  had  forsaken  them." 

It  was  now  about  three  in  the  afternoon;  Captain  Nicholls 
wore  the  ship,  which  she  bore  very  well,  and  steered  tolera- 
bly before  the  wind. 

Towards  half  an  hour  afterwards,  the  old  gentleman  came 
to  him  in  tears,  and  taking  him  in  his  arms,  said  he  came  by 
desire  of  the  whole  people  to  request  that  he  and  his  men 
would  endeavor  to  save  their  lives  in  the  boats,  and  as  these 
were  insufficient  to  carry  more,  they  would  by  no  means  be 
accessary  to  their  destruction;  they  were  well  convinced  by 
their  whole  conduct  that  they  had  done  every  thing  in  their 
power  for  their  preservation;  but  that  God  Almighty  had  or- 
dained them  to  perish,  though  they  trusted  he  and  his  men 
would  get  safe  on  shore.  Such  gratitude  for  only  doing  a  du- 
ty in  endeavoring  to  save  the  lives  of  the  prisoners,  as  well 
as  their  own,  astonished  Captain  Nicholls;  he  replied,  that 
there  was  no  hopes  of  life,  and  as  all  had  embarked  in  the 
same  unhappy  voyage,  they  should  all  take  the  same  chance. 
He  thought  that  they  ought  to  share  the  same  fate.  The  old 
gentleman  said  that  should  not  be,  and  if  he  did  not  acquaint 
his  people  with  the  offer  he  should  have  their  lives  to  answer 
for.  Accordingly  the"  captain  mentioned  it  to  Captain  Moore 
and  the  people.  They  said  that  they  would  with  the  greatest 
satisfaction  remain,  could  any  thing  be  devised  for  the  preser- 
vation of  the  others;  but  that  being  impossible,  they  would 
not  refuse  to  comply  with  their  request.  The  people  then 
thanking  them  for  their  great  kindness,  with  tears  in  the  eyes 
of  all,  hastened  down  the  stern  ladder. 

As  the  boats  ranged  up  by  the  sea  under  the  ships  counter, 
those  that  went  last  cast  themselves  down,  and  were  caught 
by  the  men  in  the  boat.  Captain  Nicholls  told  them,  he  trust- 
ed to  their  honor  that  they  would  not  leave  him,  as  he  was  de- 
termined not  to  quit  the  ship  until  it  was  dark,  in  hopes  that 
Providence  would  yet  send  something  to  their  aid;  the  whole 
assured  him  that  he  should  not  be  deserted. 

He  had  a  little  Norse  boy  on  board,  whom  no  entreaties 
could  persuade  to  enter  the  boat  until  he  himself  had  done 
so;  but  as  it  was  growing  dark,  he  insisted  on  the  boy's  go- 
ing, saying  he  would  immediately  follow  him  The  boy 

VOL.    II  14 


514  LOSS    OF    THE     DUKE    WILLIAM     TRANSPORT. 

obeyed,  and  got  on  the  stern  ladder,  when  a  Frenchman  whora 
he  dread  of  death  induced  to  quit  his  wife  and  children  un- 
perceived,  made  over  the  taffrail  and  trod  on  the  Norse  boy's 
fingers.  The  boy  screamed  aloud,  which  led  Captain  Nich- 
olls  to  believe  that  some  person  was  in  danger,  and  on  repair- 
ing to  the  place,  followed  by  the  old  gentleman,  they  found 
to  their  great  surprise,  that  the  man,  who  had  a  wife  and  chil- 
dren on  board,  was  attempting  to  get  away  and  save  himself. 
The  old  gentleman  calling  him  by  his  name,  said  he  was  sorry 
to  find  him  base  enough  to  desert  his  family.  He  seemed 
ashamed  of  what  he  had  done,  and  returned  over  the  taffrail. 
By  this  time,  the  people  of  the  boat  begged  the  captain  to 
come,  as  the  blows  she  received  from  below  the  ship's  coun- 
ter, were  like  to  sink  her. 

Captain  Nicholls  seeing  the  priest  stretching  his  arms  over 
the  rails  in  great  emotion,  and  apparently  under  strong  appre- 
hensions of  death,  asked  him  whether  he  was  willing  to  take 
his  chance  in  the  boat.  He  replied  in  the  affirmative,  if  there 
was  room;  and  on  learning  that  there  was,  he  immediately 
went  and  gave  the  people  his  benediction;  and  after  saluting 
the  old  gentleman,  tucked  up  his  conical  robes  and  -forsook 
the  vessel.  Captain  Nicholls  saluted  him  likewise,  and  sever- 
al others,  and  then  left  them  praying  for  his  safety. 

When  he  entered  the  boat  he  bid  the  sailors  cast  her  adrift; 
it  was  very  dark,  and  they  had  neither  moon  nor  stars  to  di- 
rect them.  "  What  a  terrible  situation!"  he  exclaims,  "  w« 
were  twenty-seven  in  the  long-boat,  and  nine  in  the  cutter, 
without  victuals  or  drink."  Uncertain  of  their  distance  from 
the  English  coast,  they  agreed  to  keep  as  close  as  possible  to 
the  ship. 

It  began  to  blow  very  fresh,  with  sleet  and  snow;  the  peo- 
ple were  fatigued  to  the  uttermost,  from  working  so  tang  at 
the  pumps,  and  after  sitting  in  the  wet  and  cold,  they  began 
to  wish  that  they  had  staid  in  the  ship  and  perished,  as  now 
they  might  die  a  lingering  death.  Either  alternative  was  aw- 
ful. Destitute  of  provision,  it  was  most  probable  that  one 
must  be  sacrificed  by  lot  to  keep  the  others  alive;  and  their 
dismal  situation,  in  arousing  the  most  horrible  anticipations, 
made  them  forbode  the  worst. 

The  boats  now  began  to  make  water,  yet  the  men  refused 
to  bail  them,  they  were  in  a  state  of  such  extreme  weariness, 
and  not  having  slept  for  four  nights,  became  regardless  of 
their  fate.  Captain  Nicholls,  nevertheless,  prevailed  on  then 
to  free  the  long-boat  of  water. 


LOBS    OF    THE     DUKE    WILLIAM     TRANSPORT.  315 

Having  a  brisk  gale,  they  soon  /un  a  long  way  from  their 
unfortunate  ship,  when  to  their  great  distress,  it  fell  quite 
calm  at  ten  in  the  morning.  This  threw  the  people  in  despair, 
their  courage  began  to  fail,  and  as  they  could  not  expect  to 
live  so  long  as  to  make  the  land,  death  seemed  again  staring 
them  in  the  face. 

Some  time  after  this  unlucky  party  forsook  the  ship,  foui 
of  the  French  prisoners  let  a  small  jolly-boat,  which  was  still 
remaining,  overboard,  with  two  small  paddles,  and  swam  to 
her;  and  just  as  they  left  the  vessel,  her  decks  blew  up  with  a 
report  like  a  gun.  She  sunk  in  the  ocean,  and  three  hundred 
and  sixty  souls  perished  with  her. 

Captain  Nicholls,  at  length  observing  the  water  colored, 
asked  whether  they  had  any  twine,  on  which  one  of  them  gave 
him  a  ball  from  his  pocket;  they  knocked  the  bolts  off  the 
knees  of  the  long-boat,  wherewith  to  make  a  deep-sea  lead, 
and  sounding  with  it  were  rejoiced  to  find  only  45  fathom  wa- 
ter. But  the  people  complaining  greatly  of  hunger  and  thirst, 
Captain  Nicholls  said  he  was  sorry  to  acquaint  them  that  he 
had  nothing  for  them  to  eat  or  drink,  yet  encouraged  them  to 
bear  up  with  manly  resolution,  as  by  their  soundings  they 
were  near  Scilly,  and  he  doubted  not,  if  it  cleared,  that  they 
should  see  the  land. 

The  little  Norse  boy,  who  had  always  kept  close  by  the 
cai  .ain,  now  said  that  he  had  got  some  bread,  and  on  taking 
it  from  the  bosom  of  his  shirt,  it  proved  to  be  like  baker's 
dough;  however,  it  was  bread,  and  very  acceptable.  The 
whole  might  amount  to  about  four  pounds;  and  Captain  Nich- 
olls having  put  it  into  his  hat,  distributed  it  equally,  calling 
for  those  in  the  yawl  to  receive  their  share.  But  instead  of 
being  a  relief,  it  increased  their  troubles,  foi  being  wet  and 
clammy,  it  hung  to  the  roof  of  their  mouths,  having  nothing 
to  wash  it  down.  Mr.  Fox  had  some  allspice  also,  which  was 
of  little  service;  having  been  cut  in  pieces,  the  people  forced 
it  down  their  throats,  which  created  some  saliva,  and  by  that 
means  it  was  swallowed. 

About  noon,  a  light  air  sprung  up  at  south-west.  Each 
boat  had  a  fore-inast,  fore-sail  and  oars;  but  owing  to  the 
boats  having  been  foul  of  the  main-mast,  all  the  oars  w«re 
washed  away  except  two  from  each.  Captain  Nicholls  was 
told,  in  answer  to  his  inquiries  concerning  a  noise  among  the 
crew,  that  two  seamen  were  disputing  about  a  couple  of  blank 
ets,  which  one  of  them  had  brought  from  the  ship.  These 
blankets  he  ordered  tc  be  thrown  overboard,  rather  than  they 


316  LOS8    Or    THK     DUKE    WILLIAM     TRANSPORT. 

should  be  suffered  to   breed  any  quarrel,  as    in  their  unhappl 
condition  it  was  no  time  to  have  disputes.      But  on  reflection 
having  desired  that  they  should  be  brought  to  him,  he  thought 
of  converting  them  to  use,  by  forming  each  into  a  main-sail 
Therefore,  one  oar  was  erected  for  a  main-mast,  and  the  oth- 
er broke  to  the  breadth  of  the  blankets  fora  yard.     The  peo- 
ple in  the  cutter    observing  what   was    done  in  the  long-boat, 
converted  a  hammock   which  they  had  on    board  into  a  main- 
sail. 

At  four  in  the  afternoon  it  cleared  up,  when  the  adventur- 
ers descried  a  brig  about  two  miles  distant,  to  which  Captain 
Nicholls  ordered  the  cutter  to  give  chase,  as  it  being  lighter 
than  the  long-boat,  would  sooner  get  up,  and  let  her  know 
their  distress.  But  the  brig,  seeing  the  boats  after  their 
course,  directly  stood  from  them,  owing,  as  Captain  Nicholls 
supposed,  to  their  odd  appearance.  For  war  then  prevailing, 
they  were  probably  taken  for  the  French  lugsail-boats,  that 
used  to  frequent  the  lands  off  Scilly.  The  cutter,  however, 
gained  fast  on  the  brig,  when,  having  got  about  half  way,  a 
very  thick  fog  came  on,  and  neither  the  brig  nor  the  cutter 
were  again  seen  from  the  long-boat. 

Night  fell,  and  the  weather  still  continuing  very  foggy,  the 
people,  almost  dead  for  want  of  sleep,  reposed  themselves, 
sitting  half  way  in  water,  it  being  impossible  for  so  n..'.nv  to 
find  seats.  Their  captain,  anxious  for  their  lives  and  hiso.vn, 
strove  to  keep  his  eyes  open,  though  it  was  the  fifth  night 
that  he  had  taken  no  rest.  About  eleven  o'clock,  when  every 
one  was  asleep  but  the  helmsman  and  himself,  he  thought 
that  he  saw  land.  Yet  he  was  determined  not  to  call  out 
land  until  he  should  be  sure  that  it  was  so.  He  squeezed  his 
eyelids  together  to  let  the  water  run  out  of  his  eyes,  as  he 
found  them  very  dim. 

Again  he  thought  he  saw  land  very  plain,  and  was  convinc- 
ed that  he  could  not  be  deceived.  By  this  time  the  man  at 
the  helm  had  dropped  asleep,  and  he  took  the  tiller  himself. — 
Some  space  longer  elapsed  before  he  would  disturb  any  body, 
but  at  last  he  awoke  Captain  Moore,  telling  him  he  thought 
he  saw  land.  Captain  Moore  only  answered  that  they  should 
never  see  land  again  Captain  Nicholls  then  awoke  Mr. 
Fox,  who  had  obtained  a  sound  sleep,  and  seemed  quite  re- 
freshed. He  immediately  cried  out  that  they  were  near  land 
and  close  in  with  the  breakers.  Lucky  it  was  that  he  had  been 
awakened,  otherwise,  Captain  Nicholls,  from  being  absolul^ly 
unacquainted  with  them,  was  satisfied  that  all  on  board  would 
have  perished. 


LO«S   OF    THE     DUKE    WTLT.IAM     TlliNSFORT.  311 

At  the  word  land  every  one  awoke,  and,  with  some  difficul- 
ty, the  boat  cleared  the  rocks.  At  first  the  precise  part  oc 
the  Enp\ish  coast  could  not  be  ascertained,  but,  as  it  cleared 
more  and  more  every  moment,  Captain  Nicholls,  on  looking 
under  the  lee-leche  of  the  blanket  main-sail,  discerned  St. 
Michael's  Mount  in  Mount's  Bay.  The  boat  would  not  fetch 
(he  land  near  Penzancej  and,  as  she  had  no  oars,  it  was  de- 
termined to  avoid  steering  round  the  Lizard  and  so  for  Fal- 
mouth,  but  to  run  her  boldly  on  shore,  whatever  place  she 
might  chance  to  make.  It  was  a  fine  night,  and,  after  getting 
round  the  point,  the  people  found  the  water  very  smooth 
keeping  the  boat  close  to  the  wind,  they  made  between  Pen- 
zance  and  the  point. 

Their  joy  at  finding  themselves  in  so  favorable  a  situation, 
is  not  to  be  conceived;  it  gave  them  new  life  and  strength. — 
Those  who  were  forward,  exclaimed  that  there  were  two  rocks 
ahead,  Captain  Nicholls  hastened  before,  and  his  sight  having 
come  well  to  him,  he  carried  the  boat  between  them  without 
touching  ground,  and  in  a  little  time  ran  her  ashore  on  a  san- 
dy beach. 

The  seamen  leapt  into  the  water,  and  carried  the  priest  and 
the  captain  ashore.  The  former,  kneeling  down,  made  a  short 
prayer,  and  then  coming  to  embrace  Captain  JN'icholls,  called 
him  his  preserver,  and  said  that  he  had  rescued  him  from 
death. 

Leaving  the  boat  as  she  lay,  all  made  the  best  of  their  way 
to  the  town  of  Penzance.  But  some  of  the  people,  with 
sleeping  wet,  were  so  much  benumbed,  that  they  could  scarce 
get  along;  and  captain  Nicholls  himself  declares,  that,  from 
the  time  of  the  ship's  springing  a  leak,  until  that  hour,  he  had 
had  no  sleep,  and  very  little  sustenance.  However,  having 
fallen  in  with  a  run  of  fresh  water  on  the  road  to  Penzance, 
all  were  revived  by  drinking  heartily  of  it. 

The  party,  reaching  the  town  about  three  in  the  morning, 
made  up  to  a  tavern  where  they  saw  a  light,  and,  as  it  had 
been  a  market  day,  the  mistress  of  the  house  was  still  up. — 
When  Captain  Nicholls  entered  by  the  door,  which  was  not 
locked,  she  was  undressing,  with  her  back  to  a  fire,  the  light 
he  had  seen,  and  being  greatly  alarmed,  screamed,  "Murder! 
thieves!" 

The  appearance  of  twenty-seven  people  at  such  an  unsea- 
sonable hour,  was  certainly  enough  to  create  apprehension, 
especially  from  the  condition  which  they  were  in.  But  the 
captain  endeavoring  to  pacify  her,  requested  she  would  caf 


818  LOIS    OF    THE     DUKE     WILLIAM     TRANSPORT. 

her  husband  ci  servants,  as  they  were  shipwrecked  men,  ana 
give  them  some  refreshment.  The  landlord  soon  came,  and. 
having  provided  provisions,  the  people  got  into  as  many  beds 
as  were  there,  while  the  rest  of  them  slept  on  the  floor  by  the 
side  of  the  fire. 

Next  morning  the  captain,  accompanied  by  the  priest,  went 
to  the  Mayor  of  the  town  to  make  a  protest  before  a  notary, 
ind  to  see  if  he  could  get  credit,  as  both  he  and  the  people 
•vere  in  want  of  every  necessary,  and  it  was  many  miles  to 
London.  The  Mayor  received  him  kindly,  but  told  him  that 
he  was  no  merchant,  and  that  he  never  supplied  people  in  the 
condition  that  he  was  in,  with  money,  but  if  he  pleased,  he 
would  send  a  servant  with  him  to  Mr.  Charles  Langford,  a 
merchant  who  generally  supplied  the  masters  of  vessels  in  dis- 
tress with  necessaries.  Mr.  Langford  received  Captain  Nich- 
olls  politely,  but,  in  answer  to  his  request  for  credit,  said,  that 
he  had  made  a  resolution  not  to  supply  with  credit  any  man 
to  whom  he  was  an  entire  stranger,  as  he  had  been  deceived 
by  one  very  lately;  and,  though  his  might  have  been  a  large 
ship,  to  judge  by  the  boat  which  was  come  on  shore,  he,  the 
captain,  might  not  be  concerned  in  her,  and,  as  he  should 
want  a  great  deal  of  money,  he  should  beg  to  be  excused  — 
Captain  Nicholls  answered,  that  he  was  partly  owner  of  the 
ship,  and  Mr.  Langford  might  be  certain  that  his  bills  were 
duly  honored.  However,  he  said  he  could  not  do  it. 

Captain  Nicholls,  grievously  disappointed,  returned  to  the 
inn,  where  several  tradesmen  had  arrived  to  furnish  the  peo- 
ple with  clothes  and  other  necessaries.  He  told  the  latter  he 
could  get  no  credit,  but  that  they  must  travel  on  as  far  as 
Exeter,  where  he  was  sure  of  obtaining  relief,  which  was  very 
unwelcome  news,  as  most  of  the  people  wanted  shoes.  *The 
captain  next  requested  the  landlord  of  the  inn  to  get  them 
some  breakfast,  but  he  desired  to  be  excused,  and  wished  to 
know  if  the  captain  could  get  no  credit,  how  he  was  to  be 
paid.  Captain  Nicholls  was  quite  at  a  loss  how  to  act;  being 
denied  both  credit  and  victuals,  he  thought  that  he  would  pawn 
or  sell  his  ring,  watch,  buckles  and  buttons.  Accordingly,  re- 
turning to  Mr.  Langford,  he  begged  he  would  give  him  what 
he  thought  proper  for  these  things.  He  tookthe  ring  from  hit 
finger,  the  watch  from  his  pocket,  and,  with  tears  in  his  eyes 
was  going  to  take  the  buckles  from  his  shoes,  when  Mr.  Lang- 
ford  prevented  him,  saying  he  should  have  credit  for  as  much 
as  he  pleased,  for  he  believed  him  to  be  an  honest  man,  and 
that  his  people's  distress  touched  him  more,  if  possible, 


LOSS   OF    THE    DUKE     WILLIAM     TRANSPORT.  319 

than  his  own  misfortunes.      He  then  gave  what  money  the 
captain  required. 

During  these  transactions,  the  second  mate  and  the  eight 
men  belonging  to  the  cutter  arrived.  They  said  it  was  so 
very  thick  they  could  not  come  up  with  the  brig  which  they 
were  in  pursuit  of,  and  that,  seeing  the  Lands- End  when  it 
cleared,  they  got  ashore.  As  nobody  would  buy  the  cutter, 
they  had  left  her,  and  had  inquired  the  way  to  Penzance, 
where,  being  in  great  distress,  they  rejoiced  to  meet  the:r 
comrades. 

Captain  Nicholls  went  to  the  inn  and  discharged  what  was 
owing;  on  account  of  the  unkindness  which  he  had  experienc- 
ed, he  resolved  to  stay  no  longer,  and  repaired  to  another 
house  to  breakfast.  He  next  procured  the  necessaries  want- 
ed by  his  people,  and  then  went  with  his  mates  to  make  a  pro- 
test. But,  not  choosing  that  the  declaration  should  proceed 
from  his  own  mouth,  Mr.  Langford's  son  acted  as  interpreter 
to  the  French  priest,  who  was  to  make  it.  The  priest  accord- 
ingly made  a  strong  and  full  affidavit,  that  Captain  Nicholls 
and  his  people  had  tried  every  means  to  keep  the  ship  above 
water;  that  they  had  used  the  French  all  the  time  they  were 
on  board,  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  humanity,  and  that 
Captain  Nicholls  had  parted  from  them  with  the  greatest  re- 
luctance, and  even  at  their  own  desire  went  into  the  boat,  af- 
ter all  hopes  of  life  were  gone. 

Having  remained  another  day  at  Penzance  to  refresh  the 
people,  and  getting  credit  for  what  was  wanted,  Captain  Nich- 
olls, Captain  Moore  and  the  officers  set  out  in  a  carriage  for 
Exeter,  while  the  people,  who  had  got  a  pass  from  the  Mayor, 
walked  on  foot.  At  Redruth,  a  town  in  Cornwall,  there  were 
many  French  officers  on  parole,  as  also  an  English  Commis- 
sary. Captain  Nicholls  accompanied  the  priest  to  the  latter 
in  quest  of  a  pass  to  Falmouth,  that  he  might  embark  in  the 
first  cartel  for  France;  and  here  took  leave  of  him. 

Captain  Nicholls  having  reached  London,  was  under  the 
necessity  of  being  examined  at  the  Admiralty  and  Navy  Of- 
fice, about  the  loss  of  the  people  and  the  ship,  she  being  a 
transport  in  the  service  of  government.  The  Lords  of  the 
Admiralty  and  Commissioners  of  the  Navy  told  him  that  he 
might  say  more  than  any  man  living,  as  he  had  brought  ashore 
with  him  the  first  man  of  France,  a  priest,  of  course  an  ene- 
my to  both  their  religion  and  country:  if  his  behaviour  had 
not  been  good,  he  would  not  have  attempted  it;  but  at  the 
same  time,  they  acknowledged  that  without  such  a  proof,  they 


520  COMMODORE  B  ARNEY. 

could  not  have  believed,  but  finding  all  hopes  gone,  he  and 
his  people  got  away  by  some  stratagem.  They  would  pay 
hey  said  to  the  hour  that  the  ship  foundered,  and  were  very 
sorry  that  they  could  do  no  more. 

The  four  Frenchmen   above  mentioned,  who  had  left  the 
transport  in  the  little  boat  subsequent  to  the  departure  of  Cap- 
tain Nieholls  and  his  men,  got  into  Falmouth  within  two  days. 
So  ended  this  dreadful  and  unfortunate  voyage,  with  the 
loss  of  a  fine  ship  and  three  hundred  and  sixty  souls. 


COMMODORE  BARNEY. 

No  old  Triton  who  has  passed  his  calms  under  the  bows  of 
the  long-boat  could  say  of  Joshua  Barney  that  he  came  into 
a  master's  berth  through  the  cabin  windows.  He  began  at 
the  rudiments,  and  well  he  understood  the  science.  All  his  pre- 
dilections were  for  the  sea. 

Having  deserted  the  counting  room,  young  Barney,  at  the 
age  of  twelve,  was  placed  for  nautical  instruction  in  a  pilot- 
boat  at  Baltimore,  till  he  was  apprenticed  to  his  brother-in-law. 
At  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  was  appointed  second  mate,  with 
the  approbation  of  the  owners,  and  before  he  was  sixteen  he 
was  called  upon  to  take  charge  of  his  ship  at  sea,  in  which  the 
master  had  died.  This  was  on  a  voyage  to  .Nice.  The  ship 
was  in  such  a  state  that  it  was  barely  possible  to  make  Gibral- 
tar, where  for  necessary  repairs  he  pledged  her  for  JE700,  to 
be  repaid  by  the  consignee  at  Nice,  who  however  declined, 
and  called  in  the  aid  of  the  Governor  to  compel  Barney  to  de- 
liver the  cargo,  which  he  had  refused  to  do.  He  wa's  impris- 
oned, but  set  at  large  on  some  intimation  that  he  would  do  aa 
desired,  but  when  he  came  on  board,  he  struck  his  flag,  and 
removed  his  crew,  choosing  to  consider  his  vessel  as  captured 
He  then  set  cut  for  Milan,  to  solicit  the  aid  of  the  British 
Ambassador  there,  in  which  he  succeeded  so  well  that  the  au- 


COMMODORE     BARNEY  J81 

thorities  of  Nice  met  him  on  his  return  to  apologize  for  their 
conduct.  The  assignee  paid  the  bond,  and  Barney  sailed 
for  Alicant,  where  his  vessel  was  detained  foi  the  use  of  the 
great  armada,  then  fitting  out  against  Algiers,  the  fate  of 
which  was  a  total  and  shameful  defeat.  On  his  return  home, 
his  employer  was  so  well  satisfied  with  his  conduct,  that  he 
became  his  firm  friend  ever  after. 

He  soon  offered  himself  as  second  in  command  on  board 
the  sloop  Hornet,  of  ten  guns,  one  of  two  vessels  then  pre- 
paring for  a  cruize  under  Commodore  Hopkins,  for  this  was 
in  the  early  part  of  the  revolution.  The  sloop  fell  in  with  a 
British  tender,  which  she  might  have  captured,  but  for  the 
timidity  of  the  American  captain.  The  tender,  mistaking  her 
enemy,  ran  alongside  and  exposed  herself  to  much  danger. — 
Barney  stood  by  one  of  the  guns  as  the  enemy  came  near, 
and  was  about  to  apply  the  match,  when  the  bold  commander 
commanded  him  to  desist.  Barney,  whose  spirit  revolted  at 
such  a  cause,  threw  his  match-stick  at  the  captain,  with  such 
force  that  the  iron  point  stuck  in  the  door  of  the  round-house. 
This,  in  a  youth  not  seventeen,  urged  well  for  the  pugnacity 
of  the  man.  At  the  end  of  this  cruise,  he  volunteered  on 
board  the  schooner  Wasp,  in  which  he  soon  had  a  brush  with 
the  Roebuck  and  another  frigate,  and  with  the  aid  of  some 
galleys  in  which  he  had  a  command,  the  enemy  was  forced  tc 
retreat,  with  more  loss  than  honor.  Barney  for  his  good  eon- 
duct  in  this  affair,  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  sloop 
Sachem,  with  the  commission  of  lieutenant  before  he  was 
seventeen. 

Before  the  cruise,  however,  Captain  Robinson  took  com- 
mand of  the  Sachem,  which  soon  had  an  action  with  a  letter- 
of-marque  of  superior  force  and  numbers.  It  was  well  con- 
tested, and  nearly  half  the  crew  of  the  brig  were  killed  or 
wounded.  In  about  two  hours  the  lelter-of-marque  struck  — 
The  captors  secured  a  valuable  prize,  in  a  cargo  of  rum,  and 
also  a  magnificent  turtle  intended  as  a  present  to  Lord  North, 
whose  name  was  marked  on  the  shell.  This  acceptable  West 
Indian,  Lieutenant  Barney  presented  to  a  better  man  than  it 
had  been  designed  for,  for  he  gave  it  to  the  Hon.  R.  Morris. 
On  the  return  of  the  Sachem,  both  officers  were  transferred  to 
a  fine  brig  of  fourteen  guns,  the  Andrew  Dona,  which  forth* 
with  captured  the  Racehorse,  of  twelve  guns  a«nd  a  picked 
crew.  This  vessel  was  of  the  Royal  Navy,  and  had  been  de- 
tached by  the  Admiral  purposely  to  take  the  Doria. 

On  this  voyage  a  snow  was  captured,  in  which  the  Lieutec- 

VOL.     II.  14* 


322  COMMODORE    BARNEY 

ant  went  as  prize  master,  making  up  the  crew  partly  o* 
the  prisoners.  Being  hard  by  an  enemy's  ship,  he  discovered 
signs  of  mutiny  a...ong  his  crew,  and  shot  the  ringleader  in 
the  shoulder;  a  proceeding  that  offered  so  little  encourage- 
ment to  his  comrades,  that  they  obeyed  orders,  and  made  sail, 
but  it  was  too  late  to  escape.  The  purser  of  the  frigate  which 
captured  him,  was  on  a  subsequent  occasion,  so  much  excited 
as  to  strike  Barney,  who  knocked  him  down,  and  went  further 
in  his  resentment  than  fair  fighting  permits,  for  he  kicked  him 
down  the  gangway.  The  commander  obliged  the  purser  to 
apologize  to  Barney  Having  been  captured  in  the  Virginia 
frigate,  which  ran  aground  at  the  Capes,  and  was  deserted  by 
her  commander,  Barney,  with  live  hundred  other  prisoners, 
was  sent  round,  in  the  St.  Albans  frigate,  to  New  York.  As 
the  prisoners  were  double  in  number  to  the  crew,  Barney, 
formed  a  plan  of  taking  the  ship,  which  was  defeated  or  pre- 
vented by  the  treachery  of  a  Frenchman. 

Barney  was  a  prisoner  at  New  York,  for  five  months,  after 
which  he  took  the  command  of  a  schooner  of  two  guns,  and 
eiyht  men,  with  a  cargo  of  tobacco  for  St.  Eustatia,  for  he 
was  better  pleased  to  do  a  little  than  to  do  nothing.  He  was 
however,  taken,  alter  a  running  tight,  by  boarding,  by  a  pri- 
vateer of  four  large  guns  and  sixty  men.  His  next  cruise 
was  with  his  friend  Robinson,  in  a  private  ship  of  ten  guns 
and  thirtv-livfc  men,  in  which  they  encountered  the  British 
privateer  Rosebud  of  sixteen  guns  and  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty men.  On  the  return,  a  letter-of-rnarque  of  sixteen  guns 
and  seventy  men  was  captured.  The  Lieutenant  had  now 
pri/.e  money  enough  to  be  converted,  on  Ins  re-turn,  into  a 
large  bundle  of  continental  bills,  which  he  stowed  awav  in  a 
chaise  box,  on  taking  a  journey,  but  which  he  could  not  tind 
when  he  arrived  at  Ins  destination.  He  kept  his  own  secret, 
however,  and  u  went  to  sea  again,"  second  in  command  o' 
the  United  States'  ship  Saratoga,  of  Sixteen  rine-pounderb. 
The  first  pri/e  was  a  ship.ot  twelve  guns,  captured  alter  an 
action  of  a  lew  minutes. 

On  the  next  day,  the  Saratoga  hoisted  Knjjlish  colois,  and 
C&me.  along  side  a  ship  which  had  two  brigs  in  company,  then 
running  up  the  American  ensign,  she  poured  in  a  broadside 
while  Lieutenant  Barnev,  w.th  filtv  men,  boarded  the  enemy 
The  immediate  result  was,  I  he  conquest  of  a  ship  of  thirty- 
two  (runs  and  ninety  men.  The  two  bri»»s,  one  of  fourteen 
and  the  otner  ot  lour  guns,  were  also  captured.  The  divi- 
sion of  prize  money  would  have  made  the  ollicers  lich,  but  no 


COMMODORE    BARNEY  SS3 

division  took  place,  for  all  but  the  Saratpga  were  captured  by 
a  seventy-four  and  several  frigates.  Lieutenant  Barney  was 
furnished  with  bed  and  board,  on  deck,  and  with  him,  bed  ana 
board  were  synonymous  terms,  but  he  was  allowed  to  choose 
the  softest  plank  he  could  find.  In  England  he  was  con- 
fined in  prison,  from  which  he  escaped,  and,  after  various 
adventures,  arrived  at  Beverly,  Massachusetts,  and,  as  soon 
as  he  landed,  was  offered  the  command  of  a  privateer  of  twen- 
ty guns  On  his  arrival  at  Philadelphia,  he  accepted  the  com- 
mand of  one  of  several  vessels,  cruising  against  the  enemies' 
barges,  and  the  refugee  boats,  that  infested  the  Delaware  Riv- 
er and  Bay.  His  ship  was  the  Hyder  Ally,  a  small  vessel  of 
sixteen  six  pounders.  As  a  superior  vessel  of  the  enemy  was 
approaching,  Barney  directed  his  steersman  to  interpret  his 
commands  by  the  rule  of  contraries. 

When  the  enemy  was  ranging  alongside,  Barney  cried  out, 
"  Hard  a-port."  The  helmsman  clapt  his  helm  the  other  way, 
and  the  enemy's  jib-boom  caught  in  the  fore  rigging,  and  held 
her  in  a  position  to  be  raked,  and  never  was  the  operation  of 
raking  more  suddenly  or  effectually  performed.  The  British 
flag  came  down  in  less  than  half  an  hour,  and  the  captors 
made  little  delay  for  compliments,  for  a  frigate  from  the  ene- 
my was  rapidly  approaching.  The  prize  was  the  General 
Marie,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  with  twenty  nine  pounders,  and 
one  hundred  and  thirty-six  men;  nearly  double  the  force  and 
metal  of  the  captors.  After  the  peace,  Commodore  Barney 
made  a  partial  settlement  in  Kentucky,  and  became  a  favorite 
with  the  old  hunters  of  that  pleasant  land.  He  was  appoint- 
ed Clerk  of  the  District  Court  of  Maryland,  and  also  cin  auc- 
tioneer. He  also  engaged  in  commerce,  when  his  business 
led  him  to  Cape  Francois  during  the  insurrection,  and  where 
he  armed  his  crew,  and  fought  his  way,  to  carry  off  some  spe- 
cie which  he  had  secreted  in  barrels  of  coffee. 

On  his  return  he  was  captured  by  a  pirate,  which  callea  her* 
self  an  English  privateer.  Barney,  however,  was  a  bad  pris- 
oner, and  with  a  couple  of  his  hands'  rose  upon  the  bucca- 
neers and  captured  their  ship.  In  this  situation  it  was  no  time 
for  Argus  himself  to  sleep,  with  more  than  an  eye  at  a  time. 
The  Commodore  slept  only  by  day  in  an  armed  chair  on  deck, 
with  his  sword  between  his  legs,  and  pistols  in  his  belt,  while 
his  cook  and  boatswain,  well  armed,  stood  the  watch  at  his  side. 
On  another  occasion,  he  was  captured  in  the  West  Indies,  oy 
an  English  frigate,  where  he  received  the  usual  British  cour- 
esi.es,  and  he  was  tried  in  Jamaica  for  piracy,  &tc.  It  is  need- 


£24  NAVAL    BATTLES    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES 

less  to  say  that,  though  in  an  enemy's  country,  he  was  acquit- 
ted by  acclamation.  This  accusation  originated  with  the  com- 
mander of  the  frigate,  who,  however,  prudently  kept  out  •*£ 
sight;  though  an  officer  in  the  same  frigate,  expressed  at  a 
Coffee  House,  a  desire  to  meet  Barney,  without  knowing  that 
he  was  present,  that  he  might  have  an  opportunity  to  settle 
accounts  with  the  rascal.  The  rascal  bestowed  upon  the  of- 
ficer the  compliments  that  were  usual  on  such  an  occasion, 
and  tweaked  that  part  of  his  head  that  is  so  prominent  in  an 
elephant. 

We  cannot  follow  the  Commodore  through  his  subsequent 
fortunes  and  adventures.  In  France  he  received  the  hug  fra- 
ternal of  the  President  of  the  Convention,  and  the  commis- 
sion of  Captain  of  the  highest  grade  in  the  Navy.  He  fit- 
ted out  several  vessels  of  his  own  to  harrass  the  British  trade, 
in  which  he  was  very  successful.  He  received  the  command 
of  two  frigates,  which  were  almost  wrecked  in  a  storm,  though 
he  succeeded  in  saving  them.  In  the  last  war,  his  services 
are  more  immediately  in  our  memories. 


NAVAL  BATTLES 


The  depradations  committed  on  American  commerece  in 
the  Mediterranean,  by  the  piratical  corsairs  of  the  Barbary 
powers,  induced  Congress,  in  1794,  to  authorize  the  formation 
of  a  naval  force  for  its  protection.  Four  ships  of  forty-four 
guns  each  and  two  of  thirty-six  were  ordered  to  be  built. — 
Captain  Thomas  Truxton  was  one  of  the  first  six  captains  ap- 
pointed by  the  President,  at  the  organization  of  the  naval  es- 
tablishment, in  1794.  He  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  Constellation  of  thirty-six  guns,  and  ordered  to  protect 
^he  commerce  of  the  United  States  in  the  West  Indies,  from 


NAVAL    BATTLES   OP  THE    UNITED    STATES  325 

.lie  ravages  of  the  French.  On  the  ninth  of  February,  1799, 
he  captured  the  French  frigate  Insurgente,  of  which  twenty- 
nine  of  the  crew  were  killed  and  forty-four  wounded.  The 
Constellation  had  but  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded. 

In  1800,  the  Constellation  engaged  with  the  French  frigate 
Vengeance  of  fifty-four  guns,  near  Guadaloupe;  but  cwing  to 
the  darkness  of  the  night  the  latter  escaped,  after  having  thrice 
struck  her  colors  and  lost  one  hundred  and  sixty  men  in  the 
engagement. 

The  same  year,  the  United  States  frigate  Boston  captured 
the  French  national  corvette  Le  Berceau. 

In  the  month  of  August,  1801,  Captain  Sterrett  of  the 
United  States  schooner  Enterprize,  of  twelve  guns  and  nine- 
ty men,  fell  in,  off  Malta,  with  a  Tripolitan  cruiser  of  fourteen 
guns  and  eighty-five  men.  In  this  action  the  Tripolitans 
thrice  hauled  down  her  colors,  and  thrice  perfidiously  renew- 
ed the  conflict.  Fifty  of  her  men  were  killed  and  wounded. 
The  Enterprize  did  not  loose  a  man 

Captain  Sterrett's  instructions  not  permitting  him  to  make 
a  prize  of  the  cruiser,  he  ordered  her  crew  to  throw  overboard 
all  their  guns  and  powder,  and  to  go  and  tell  their  country- 
men the  treatment  they  might  expect  from  a  nation,  determin- 
ed to  pay  tribute  only  in  powder  and  ball.  On  her  arrival  at 
Tripoli,  so  great  was  the  terror  produced,  that  the  sailors 
abandoned  the  cruisers  then  fitting  out,  and  not  a  man  could 
be  procured  to  navigate  them. 

The  Tripolitan  cruisers  continuing  to  harrass  the  vessels  of 
the  United  States,  Congress  determined  in  1803,  to  fit  out  a 
fleet  that  should  chastise  their  insolence.  The  squadron  con- 
sisted of  the  Constitution,  44  guns;  the  Philadelphia,  44;  the 
Argus,  18;  the  Siren,  16;  the  Nautilus,  16;  the  Vixen,  1t3;  and 
the  Enterprize,  14.  Commodore  Preble  was  appointed  to 
the  command  of  this  squadron,  in  May  1803,  and  on  the  13th 
of  August,  sailed  in  the  Constitution  for  the  Mediterranean. 
Having  adjusted  the  difficulties  which  had  sprung  up  with  the 
emperor  of  Morocco,  he  turned  his  whole  attention  to  Tripoli. 
1  he  season  was,  however,  too  far  advanced  for  active  opera- 
tions. 

On  the  31st  of  October,  the  Philadelphia,  being,  at  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  about  five  leagues  to  the  westward  of 
Tripoli,  discovered  a  sail  in  shore,  standing  before  the  wind 
to  the  eastward.  The  Philadelphia  immediately  gave  chase. 
The  sail  hoisted  Tripolitan  colors,  and  continued  her  course 
near  the  shore.  The  Philadelphia  opened  a  fire  upon  her, 


S26  NAVAL    BATTLES   OF    THE    UNITED  STATCS. 

and  continued  it,  till  half  past  eleven;  when,  being  in  seren 
fathoms  water,  and  finding  her  fire  could  not  prevent  the  ves- 
sel entering  Tripoli,  she  gave  up  the  pursuit.  In  beating  off, 
she  ran  on  a  rock,  not  laid  down  in  any  chart,  distant  four 
and  a  half  miles  from  the  town.  A  boat  was  immediately 
lowered  to  sound.  The  greatest  depth  of  water  was  found 
to  be  astern.  In  order  to  back  her  off,  all  sails  were  Taid 
aback;  the  top-gallant-sails  loosened;  three  anchors  thrown 
away  from  the  bows;  the  water  in  the  hold  started;  and  all 
the  guns  thrown  overboard,  excepting  a  few  abaft  to  defend 
the  ship  against  the  attacks  of  the  Tripolitan  gun-boats,  then 
firing  at  her.  All  this,  however,  proved  ineffectual;  as  did 
also  the  attempt  to  lighten  her  forward  by  cutting  away  her 
foremast.  The  Philadelphia  had  already  withstood  the  attack 
of  the  numerous  gun-boats  for  four  hours,  when  a  large  rein- 
forcement coming  out  of  Tripoli,  and  being  herself  deprived 
of  every  means  of  resistance  and  defence  she  was  forced  to 
strike,  about  sunset.  The  Tripolitans  immediately  took  pos- 
session of  her,  and  made  prisoners  of  the  officers  and  men, 
in  number,  three  hundred.  Forty-eight  hours  afterwards,  the 
wind  blowing  in  shore,  the  Tripolitans  got  the  frigate  off,  and 
towed  her  into  the  harbor. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  Commodore  Preble  sailed  from 
Malta,  in  company  with  the  Enterprize,  commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant Stephen  Decater.  When  the  latter  was  informed  of 
the  loss  of  the  Philadelphia,  he  immediately  formed  a  plan  of 
recapturing  and  destroying  her,  which  he  proposed  to  Com- 
modore Preble.  At  first  the  commodore  thought  the  project- 
ed enterprize  too  hazardous:  but  at  length  granted  his  conj 
sent.  Lieutenant  Decater  then  selected  lor  the  enterprise  the 
ketch  Intrepid,  lately  captured  by  him.  This  vessel  he  mann- 
ed with  seventy  volunteers,  chiefly  of  his  own  crew;  and  on 
the  3d  of  February  sailed  from  Syracuse,  accompanied  by 
the  brig  Siren,  lieutenant  Stewart. 

After  a  tempestuous  passage  of  fifteen  days,  the  two  vessels 
arrived  off  the  harbor  of  Tripoli,  towards  the  close  of  day. — 
It  was  determined  that  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  Intre- 
pid should  enter  the  harbor,  accompanied  by  the  boats  of  the 
•Siren.  But  a  change  of  wind  had  separated  the  two  vessels 
six  or  eight  miles  As  delay  might  prove  fatal,  Lieutenant 
Decater  entered  the  harbor  alone  about  eight  o'clock.  The 
Philadelphia  lay  within  half  gun  shot  of  the  Bashaw's  castle 
and  principal  bat*.ery.  On  her  starboard  quarter  lay  two  Tri- 
Doiitau  cruisers  within  two  cables  length;  and  on  the  starboard 


5AYAL    BATTLES     OF    THE     UNITED     STATES  S21 

»ow  a  number  of  gunboats  within  half  gu:i  shot.  All  her 
guns  were  mounted  and  loaded.  Three  h-ours  were,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  lightness  of  the  wind,  consumed  in  passing 
three  miles,  when  being  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  Phila- 
delphia, they  were  hailed  from  her,  and  ordered  to  anchor  on 
peril  of  being  fired  into.  The  pilot  on  board  the  Intrepid  was 
ordered  to  reply,  that  all  their  anchors  were  lost.  The  Ameri- 
cans had  advanced  within  fifty  yards  of  the  frigate,  when  the 
wind  died  away  into  a  calm.  n  Lieutenant  Decater  ordered  a 
rope  to  be  taken  out  and  fastened  to  the  fore-chains  of  the 
frigate,  which  was  done,  and  the  Intrepid  warped  alongside. 
It  was  not  till  then  the  Tripolitans  suspected  them  to  be  an 
enemy;  and  their  confusion  in  consequence  was  great.  As 
soon  as  the  vessels  were  sufficiently  near,  Lieutenant  Dcca- 
ter  sprang  on  board  the  frigate,  and  was  followed  by  midship- 
man Morris.  It  was  a  minute  before  the  remainder  of  the' 
crew  succeeded  in  mounting  after  them.  But  the  Turks, 
crowded  together  on  the  quarter  deck,  were  in  too  great  con- 
sternation to  take  advantage  of  this  delay.  As  soon  as  a  suf- 
ficient number  of  Americans  gained  the  deck  they  rushed  up- 
on the  Tripolitans,  who  were  soon  overpowered;  and  about 
twenty  of  them  were  killed. 

Alter  taking  possession  of  the  ship,  a  firing  commenced  from 
the  Tripohtan  batteries  and  castle,  and  from  two  cruisers  near 
the  ship;  a  number  of  launches  were  also  seen  rowing  about 
in  the  harbor;  whereupon  Lieutenant  Decater  resolved  to  re- 
main in  the  frigate,  for  there  he  would  be  enabled  to  make  the 
best  defence.  But  perceiving  that  the  launches  kept  at  a  dis- 
tance, he  ordered  the  frigate  to  be  set  on  lire,  which  was  im- 
mediately done,  and  so  effectually,  that  with  difficulty  was  the 
Lii.epid  preserved.  A  favorable  breeze  at  this  momon* 
spiung  up,  which  soon  carried  them  out  of  the  harbor.  None 
rtf  ihe  Americans  were  killed,  and  only  four  wounded.  For 
thi»  heroic  achievment  Lieutenant  Decater  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  post  captain.  His  commission  was  dated  on  the 
lay  lie  destroyed  ihe  Philadelphia. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  Philadelphia  frigate,  commo- 
dore Preble  was,  during  the  spring  and  early  part  of  the  sum- 
mer, employed  in  keeping  up  the  blockade  of  the  harbor  of 
Tripoli,  in  preparing  for  an  attack  upon  the  town  and  in  cruis- 
ing. A  pri/e  that  had  been  taken  was  put  in  commission,  and 
calk-d  the  Scourge.  A  loan  of  six  gun-boa's  and  two  bonfo- 
ves.se!-.*,  completely  (need  for  service,  was  obtained  from  tho 
king  of  JNaplea  Pei  mission  was  also  given  to  take  twelve  or 


328  NAVAL     BATTLES     OP     THE     UNITED    STATE*. 

fifteen  Neapolitans  on  board  each  boat,  to  serve  under  th« 
American  flag. 

With  this  addition  to  his  force,  the  commodore  on  the  21st 
of  Jaly,  joined  the  vessels  off  Tripoli.  The  number  of  men 
engaged  in  the  service  amounted  to  one  thousand  and  sixty 

On  the  Tripolitan  castle  and  batteries,  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  guns  were  mounted,  fifty-five  of  which  were  pieces  of 
heavy  ordnance,  the  others  long  eighteen  and  twelve  pounders 
In  the  harbor  were  nineteen  gun-boats  carrying  each  a  long 
brass  eighteen  or  twenty-four  pounder  in  the  bow,  and  two 
howitzers  abaft;  also  two  schooners  of  eight  guns  each,  a 
brig  of  ten  and  two  galleys  of  four  guns  each.  In  addition 
to  the  ordinary  Turkish  garrison,  and  the  crews  of  the  armed 
vessels,  estimated  at  three  thousand,  upwards  of  twenty  thou- 
sand Arabs  had  been  assembled  for  the  defence  of  the  city. 

The  weather  prevented  the  squadron  from  approaching  the 
city  until  the  twenty-eighth,  when  it  anchored  within  two 
miles  and  a  half  of  the  fortifications;  but  the  wind  suddenly 
shifting,  and  increasing  to  a  gale,  the  commodore  was  com- 
pelled to  return.  On  the  3d  of  August,  he  again  approached 
to  within  two  or  three  miles  of  the  batteries.  Having  observ- 
ed that  several  of  the  enemy's  boats  were  stationed  without 
the  reef  of  rocks,  covering  the  entrance,  he  made  signal  for 
the  squadron  to  come  within  speaking  distance,  to  communi- 
cate to  the  several  commanders  his  intention  of  attacking  the 
shipping  and  batteries.  The  gun-boats  and  bomb-ketches 
were  immediately  manned  and  prepared  for  action.  The  for- 
mer were  arranged  in  two  divisions  of  three  each.  At  half 
past  one  the  squadron  stood  in  for  the  batteries.  At  two,  the 
gun-boats  were  cast  off.  At  half  past  two,  signal  was  made 
*brthe  bomb-ketches  and  gun-boats  to  advance  and  attack. — 
At  three  quarters  past  two,  the  signal  was  given  for  a  general 
action.  It  commenced  by  the  bomb-ketches  throwing  shells 
into  the  town.  A  tremendous  fire  immediately  commenced 
from  the  enemy's  batteries  and  vessels,  of  at  least  two  hun- 
dred guns.  It  was  immediately  returned  by  the  American 
squadron,  now  within  musket  shot  of  the  principal  batteries. 

At  this  moment,  Captain  Decater,  with  the  three  gun-boats 
under  his  command,  attacked  the  enemy's  eastern  division, 
consisting  of  nine  gun-boats.  He  was  soon  in  the  rnidst  ot 
them.  The  fire  of  the  cannon  and  musketry  was  immediate- 
ly changed  to  a  desperate  attack  with  bayonet,  spear  and 
•abre  Captain  Decater  having  grappled  a  Tripolitan  boat. 


If  AVAL     BATTLES    OF    THE    UNHID    STATES  JK 

and  boarded  her  with  only  fifteen  Americans,  in  ten  minutes 
her  decks  were  cleared  and  she  was  captured.  Three  Ameri- 
cans were  wounded.  At  this  moment  captain  Decater  was 
informed  that  the  gun-boat  commanded  by  his  brother,  had 
engaged  and  captured  a  boat  belonging  to  the  enemy;  but 
that  his  brother,  as  he  stepped  on  board  was  treacherously 
shot  by  the  Tripolitan  commander,  who  made  off  with  his  boat. 
Captain  Decater  immediately  pursued  the  murderer,  who  wa» 
estreating  within  the  lines;  having  succeeded  in  coming  along- 
side, he  boarded  with  only  eleven  men  A  doubtful  contest  of 
twenty  minutes  ensued.  Decater  immediately  attacked  the 
Tripolitan  commander,  who  was  armed  with  a  spear  and  cut- 
lass. In  parrying  the  Turk's  spear,  Decater  broke  his  sword 
close  to  the  hilt,  and  received  a  slight  wound  in  the  right  arm 
and  breast;  but  having  seized  the  spear  he  closed;  and,  after 
a  violent  struggle,  both  fell,  Decater  uppermost.  The  Turk 
then  drew  a  dagger  from  his  belt,  but  Decater  caught  his  arm, 
drew  a  pistol  from  his  pocket  and  shot  him.  While  they  were 
struggling,  the  crew  of  both  vessels  rushed  to  the  assistance 
of  their  commanders.  And  so  desperate  had  the  contest 
around  them  been,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  that  Decater  ex- 
tricated himself  from  the  killed  and  wounded  that  had  fallen 
around  him. 

In  this  affair  an  American  manifested  the  most  heroic  cou- 
rage and  attachment  to  his  commander.  Decater,  in  the 
struggle,  was  attacked  in  the  rear  by  a  Tripolitan,  who  had 
aimed  a  b'ovv  at  his  head,  which  must  have  proved  fatal,  had 
not  this  generous  minded  tar,  then  dangerously  wounded  and 
deprived  of  the  use  of  both  his  hands,  rushed  between  him 
and  the  sabre,  the  stroke  of  which  he  received  in  his  head 
whereby  the  scull  was  fractured.  This  hero,  however  surviv- 
ed, and  afterwards  received  a  pension  from  his  grateful  coun- 
try. All  the  Americans  but  four  were  wounded.  Captain 
Decater  brought  both  of  his  prizes  safe  to  the  American 
squadron. 

Two  successive  attacks  were  afterwards  made  upon  Tripo- 
li; and  the  batteries  effectually  silenced.  The  humiliation  of 
.his  barbarous  power  was  of  advantage  to  Jill  nations. — 
The  Pope  made  a  public  declaration,  that,  "  the  United  States, 
though  in  their  infancy,  had,  in  this  affair,  done  more  to  hum- 
ble the  anti-christian  barbarians  on  that  coast,  than  all  the 
European  States  had  done  for  a  long  series  of  time."  Si? 
Alexander  Ball,  a  distinguished  commander  in  the  British 
navy,  addressed  his  congratulations  to  Commodore  Preble. 


130  HAVAI,    BATTLES     OF    THE    UNITED     STATES. 

After  the  junction  of  the  two  squadrons,  Commodore  Prebl* 
obtained  leave  to  return  home.  This  he  did  with  the  greater 
pleasure,  as  it  would  give  the  command  of  a  frigate  to  Cap- 
tain Decater. 

On  his  return  to  the   United   States,  he  was  received  and 
treated  every  where  with  that   distinguished  attention,  which 
he  had  so  fully  merited.     Congress   voted  him  their  thanks, 
and  requested  the  President  to  present  him  with  an  emblemati 
cal  medal. 

Our  limits  will  only  allow  us  to  glance  briefly  at  a  few  of 
the  remaining  victories  of  the  American  navy.  A  formal 
declaration  of  war  against  Great  Britain  was  passed  by  Con- 
gress on  the  18th  of  June,  1812.  On  the  19th  of  August, 
the  memorable  capture  of  the  British  frigate  Guerriere  by 
the  Constitution  under  Captain  Hull,  took  place.  On  the  19th 
of  October  the  British  sloop  of  war  Frolic  was  taken  by  the 
Wasp,  commanded  by  Captarn  Jacob  Jones;  before  the  lat- 
ter could  escape,  however,  with  her  prize,  being  in  a  very 
disabled  state,  she  was  captured  by  the  British  seventy-four, 
Poictiers.  On  the  25th  of  October,  the  United  States  under 
Commodore  Decater,  fell  in  with  and  captured,  off  the  Wes- 
tern Isles,  the  British  frigate  Macedonian,  mounting  forty- 
nine  guns  and  carrying  three  hundred  and  six  men.  The 
Macedonian  had  one  hundred  and  six  men  killed  and  wound- 
ed. The  United  States  five  killed  and  seven  wounded.  The 
Victory  of  the  Constitution  over  the  Java,  followed  next,  and 
was  succeeded  by  that  of  the  Hornet,  commanded  bv  Captain 
Lawrence,  over  the  Peacock.  The  loss  of  this  brave  officer 
in  the  subsequent  engagement  between  the  Chesapeake  and 
Shannon,  was  generally  lamented  by  his  countrymen. 

On  the  first  of  September,  1813,  the  British  brig  Boxer  of  14 
guns,  was  captured  by  the  United  States  brig  Enterprise, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  William  Burrows,  who  fell  in  the 
engagement.  We  must  close  our  notice  of  American  na^al 
history,  by  a  brief  sketch  of  some  of  the  most  interesting  crui- 
ses and  engagements. 

CRUISE    OP    THE    WASP. 

On  tne  first  of  May,  1814,  the  United  States  sloop  of  war 
Wasp,  of  eighteen  guns  and  one  hundred  and  seventy-four 
xnen.  Captain  Blakely,  commander,  sailed  from  Portsmouth, 
JV.  H  on  a  cruise,  and  on  the  28th  of  June,  in  latitude  48  36 
longitude  II  15,  after  having  made  several  Captures,  she  fell 


1CAVAL  BATTLES    OF     THE     UNITED     STATES.  SSI 

in  with,  engaged,  and  after  an  action  of  nineteen  minutes, 
captured  his  Britanic  Majesty's  sloop  of  war  Reindeer,  Wil- 
nam  Manners,  Esq.  commander.  The  Reindeer  mounted  six- 
teen twenty-four  pound  carronades,two  long  six  or  nine  pound- 
ers, and  a  shifting  twelve  pound  carronade,  with  a  complement 
on  board  of  one  hundred  and  eighteen  men.  She  was  literal- 
(y  cut  to  pieces  in  a  line  with  her  ports;  her  upper  works, 
boats  and  spare  spars  were  one  complete  wreck,  and  a  breeze 
springing  up  the  next  day  after  the  action,  her  fore-mast  went 
by  the  board;  when  the  prisoners  having  been  taken  on  board 
the  Wasp,  she  was  set  on  fire  and  soon  blew  up. 

The  loss  on  board  the  Reindeer  was  twenty-three  killed  and 
forty-two  wounded,  her  captain  being  among  the  former.  On 
board  the  Wasp  five  were  killed  and  twenty-one  wounded. — 
More  than  one  half  of  the  wounded  enemy  were,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  severity  and  extent  of  their  wounds,  put  on 
board  a  Portuguese  brig  and  sent  to  England.  The  loss  of 
the  Americans,  although  not  so  severe  as  that  of  the  British, 
was  owing,  in  a  degree,  to  the  proximity  of  the  two  vessels 
during  the  action,  and  the  extreme  smoothness  of  the  sea,  but 
chiefly  in  repelling  boarders. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  the  Wasp  put  into  L'Orient,  France, 
after  capturing  an  additional  number  of  prizes,  where  she  re- 
mained until  the  27th  of  August,  when  she  again  sailed  on  a 
cruise.  On  the  1st  of  September  she  fell  in  with  the  British 
sloop  of  war  Avon,  of  twenty  guns,  commanded  by  Captain 
Abuthnot,  and  after  an  action  of  forty-five  minutes,  compelled 
her  to  surrender,  her  crew  being  nearly  all  killed  and  wound- 
ed. The  guns  were  then  ordered  to  be  secured,  and  a  boat 
lowered  from  the  Wasp  in  order  to  take  possession  of  the 
prize.  In  the  act  of  lowering  the  boat,  a  second  enemy's  ves- 
sel was  discovered  astern  and  standing  towards  the  Wasp. — 
Captain  Blakdy  immediately  ordered  his  crew  to  their  quar- 
ters, prepared  every  thing  for  action,  and  awaited  her  coining 
up.  In  a  few  minutes  after,  two  additional  sail  were  discover- 
ed bearing  down  upon  the  Wasp.  Captain  Biakely  stood  off 
with  the  expectation  of  drawing  the  first  from  its  companions; 
but  in  this  he  was  disappointed.  She  continued  to  approach 
until  she  came  close  to  the  stern  of  the  Wasp,  when  she  haul- 
ed by  the  wind,  fired  her  broadside,  (which  injured  the  \\  asp 
but  trifling,)  and  retraced  her  steps  to  join  her  consorts  — 
Captain  Blakely  was  now  necessitated  to  abandon  the  Avon, 
which  had  by  this  time  become  a  total  wreck,  and  which  toon 
after  sunk,  the  surviving  part  of  her  crew  having  barely  time 
to  escape  to  the  other  vessels 


532  NAVAL    BATTLES    OF    THE     UNITED    STATES. 

On  board  of  the  Avon  forty  were  killed  and  sixty  wounded 
The  loss  sustained  by  the  Wasp  was  two  killed  and  on« 
wounded. 

The  Wasp  aftewards  continued  her  cruise,  making  great 
havoc  among  the  English  merchant  vessels  and  privateers, 
destroying  an  immense  amount  of  the  enemies  property. — 
From  the  1st  of  May  until  the  20th  of  September,  she  had 
captured  fifteen  vessels,  most  of  which  she  destroyed 

HORNET   AND    PENGUIN. 

On  the  23d  of  March,  1815,  as  the  Hornet,  commanded  by 
Captain  Biddle,  was  about  to  anchor  off  the  north  end  of  the 
island  of  Tristan  d'Acuna,  a  sail  was  seen  to  the  southward; 
which,  at  forty  minutes  past  one,  hoisted  English  colors,  and 
fired  a  gun.  The  Hornet  immediately  luffed  to,  hoisted  an  en- 
sign, and  gave  the  enemy  a  broadside.  A  quick  and  well  di- 
rected fire  was  kept  up  from  the  Hornet,  the  enemy  gradually 
drifting  nearer,  with  an  intention,  as  Captain  Biddle  supposed, 
to  board.  The  enemy's  bowsprit  came  in  between  the  main 
and  mizen  rigging  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  Hornet,  giving 
him  an  opportunity  to  board,  if  he  had  wished  but  no  attempt 
was  made.  There  was  a  considerable  swell,  and  as  the  sea  lift- 
ed the  Hornet  ahead,  the  enemy's  bowsprit  carried  away  her 
mizen  shrouds,  stern  davits,  and  spanker  boom,  and  hung  up- 
on her  larboard  quarter.  At  this  moment  an  officer  called  out 
that  they  had  surrendered.  Captain  Biddle  directed  the  ma- 
rines to  stop  firing,,  and,  while  asking  if  they  had  surrendered, 
received  a  wound  in  the  neck.  The  enemy  just  then  got 
clear  of  the  Hornet;  and  his  foremast  and  bowsprit  being  both 
gone,  and  perceiving  preparations  to  give  him  another  broad- 
side, he  again  called  out  that  he  had  surrendered.  It  was 
with  great  difficulty  that  Captain  Biddle  could  restrain  his 
crew  from  firing  into  him  again,  as  it  was  certain  that  he  had 
fired  into  the  Hornet  after  having  surrendered. 

From  the  firing  of  the  first  gun  to  the  last  time  the  enemy 
cried  out  that  he  had  surrendered,  was  exactly  twenty-two 
minutes.  The  vessel  proved  to  be  the  British  brig  Penguin, 
of  twenty  guns,  a  remarkable  fine  vessel  of  her  class,  and  one 
hundred  and  thirty-two  men.,  twelve  of  them  supernumeraries 
from  the  Medway  seventy-four,  received  on  board  in  conse- 
quence of  their  being  ordered  to  cruise  for  the  privateei 
Young  Wasp. 

The  Penguin  had  fourteen  killed  and  twenty-eight  wound- 


NAVAL     BATTLES    OF    THE     UNITED    STATS*.  533 

ed.     Among  the  killed  was  Captain  Dickenson,  who  fell  at 
the  close  of  the  action.     As  she  was  completely  riddled.  T'\ 
so  crippled  as  to  be  incapable  of  being  secured,  and  being  a* 
a  great  distance  from  the  United  States,  Captain  Biddle  or 
dered  her  to  be  scuttled  and  sunk. 

The  Hornet  did  not  receive  a  single  round  shot  in  her  hull, 
and  though  much  cut  in  her  sails  and  rigging  was  soon  made 
ready  for  further  service.  Her  loss  was  one  killed  and  elev- 
en wounded 

ALGERINE   WAR 

Immediately  after  the  ratification  of  peace  with  Great  Bri- 
tain, in  February  1815,  Congress,  in  consequence  of  the  hos- 
tile conduct  of  the  regency  of  Algiers,  declared  war  against 
that  power.  A  squadron  was  immediately  fitted  out,  under  the 
command  of  Commodore  Decater,  consisting  of  the  Guerriere, 
Constellation  and  Macedonian  frigates,  the  Ontario  and  Eper- 
vier  sloops  of  war,  and  the  schooners  Spark,  Spitfire,  Torch 
and  Flambeau.  Another  squadron,  under  Commodore  Bain- 
bridge,  was  soon  to  follow  this  armament,  on  the  arrival  of 
which,  it  was  understood,  Commodore  Decater  would  return 
to  the  United  States  in  a  single  vessel,  leaving  the  command 
of  the  whole  combined  force  to  Commodore  Bainbridge. 

The  force  under  Commodore  Decater  rendezvoused  at  New 
York,  from  which  port  they  sailed  the  20th  day  of  May,  1815, 
and  arrived  in  the  Bay  of  Gibraltar  in  twenty-five  days,  after 
having  previously  communicated  with  Cadiz  and  Tangier.  In 
the  passage,  the  Spitfire,  Torch,  Firefly  and  Ontario,  separated 
different  times  from  the  squadron  in  gales,  but  all  joined  again 
at  Gibraltar,  with  the  exception  of  the  Firefly,  which  sprung 
her  masts,  and  put  back  to  New  York  to  refit.  Having  learn- 
ed at  Gibraltar  that  the  Algerine  squadron,  which  had  been 
out  into  the  Atlantic,  had  undoubtedly  passed  up  the  straits, 
and  that  information  of  the  arrival  of  the  American  force  had 
been  sent  to  Algiers  by  persons  in  Gibra'tar,  Commodore  De- 
cater  determined  to  proceed  without  delay  up  the  Mediterra- 
nean, in  the  hope  of  intercepting  the  enemy  before  he  could 
return  to  Algiers,  or  gain  a  neutral  port. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  off  Cape  de  Gatt,  he  fell  in  with  and 
captured  the  Algerine  frigate  Mazouda,  in  a  running  fight  of 
twenty-five  minutes.  After  two  broadsides  the  Algerines  ran 
below  The  Guerriere  had  four  rnen  wounded  by  musketry, 
the  Algerines  had  about  tSirtv  killed,  accordir  g  to  the  state- 


334  NAVAL     BATTLES    OP    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

ment  of  the  prisoners,  who  amounted  to  four  hundred  and  six 
In  this  affair,  the  famous  Algerine  admiral  or  Rais,  Hummuia, 
who  had  long  been  the  terror  of  this  sea,  was  cut  in  two  by  a 
cannon  shot. 

On  the  i-9th  of  June,  off  Cape  Palos,  the  squadron  fell  in 
with  and  captured  an  Algerine  brig  of  twenty-two  guns.  The 
brig  was  chased  close  to  the  shore,  where  she  was  followed 
by  the  Epervier,  Spark,  Torch  and  Spitfire,  to  whom  she  sur- 
rendered, after  losing  twenty-three  men.  No  Americans  were 
either  killed  or  wounded.  The  captured  brig,  with  most  of 
<he  prisoners  on  board,  was  sent  into  Carthagena.  From 
Cape  Palos,  the  American  squadron  proceeded  to  Algiers, 
where  it  arrived  the  28th  of  June. 

The  treaty  which  Commodore  Decater  finally  succeeded  in 
negotiating  with  the  Dey,  was  highly  favorable.  The  princi- 
pal articles  were,  that  no  tribute  under  any  pretext  or  in  any 
form  whatever,  should  ever  be  required  by  Algiers  from  the 
United  States  of  America,  that  ail  Americans  in  slavery  should 
be  given  up  without  ransom,  that  compensation  should  be 
made  for  American  vessels  captured,  or  property  seized  or 
detained  at  Algiers,  that  the  persons  and  property  of  Ameri- 
can citizens  found  on  board  an  enemy's  vessel  should  be  sa- 
cred, that  vessels  of  either  party  putting  into  port  should  be 
supplied  with  provisions  at  market  price,  and  if  necessary  to 
be  repaired,  should  land  their  cargoes  without  paying  duty, 
that  if  a  vessel  belonging  to  either  party  should  be  cast  on 
shore,  she  should  not  be  given  up  to  plunder,  or  if  attacked 
by  an  enemy  within  cannon  shot  of  a  fort,  should  be  protect- 
ed, and  no  enemy  be  permitted  to  follow  her  when  she  went 
to  sea  within  twenty-four  hours.  In  general,  the  rights  of 
Americans  on  the  ocean  and  land,  were  fully  provided  for  in 
every  instance,  and  it  was  particularly  stipulated  that  all  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States  taken  in  war,  ?hoiild  be  treated  as 
prisoners  of  war  are  treated  by  other  nations,  and  not  as 
slaves,  but  held  subject  to  an  exchange  without  ransom.  Af- 
ter concluding  this  treaty,  so  highly  honorable  and  advanta- 
geous to  this  country,  the  commissioners  gave  up  the  captured 
frigate  and  brig,  to  their  former  owners. 

Commodore  Decater  despatched  Captain  Lewis  in  the 
Epervier,  bearing  the  treaty  to  the  United  States,  and  leaving 
Mr.  Shaler  at  Algiers,  as  consul-general  to  the  Barbary  states, 
proceeded  with  the  rest  of  the  squadron  to  Tunis,  with  the 
exception  of  two  schooners  under  Captain  Gamble,  sont  to 
convoy  the  Algeriue  vessels  home  from  Carthagena.  Having 


NAVAL    BATTLES     OF     THE    UNITEl*     STATUS  SSA 

obtained  from  the  bashaw  of  Tunis  a  full  restoration  in  money 
for  certain  outrages  which  had  been  sustained  by  .American 
citizens,  the  squadron  proceeded  to  Tripoli,  where  Commo- 
dore Decater  made  a  similar  demand  for  a  similar  violation  of 
the  treaty  subsisting  between  the  United  States  and  the  ba- 
shaw, who  had  permitted  two  American  vessels  to  be  taken 
from  under  the  guns  of  his  castle  by  a  British  sloop  of  war, 
and  refused  protection  to  an  American  cruiser  lying  within  his 
jurisdiction.  Restitution  of  the  full  value  of  these  vessels 
was  demanded,  and  the  money,  amounting  to  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  paid  by  the  bashaw  into  the  hands  of  the  Ameri- 
can consul.  After  the  conclusion  of  this  affair,  the  American 
consular  flag,  which  Mr.  Jones,  the  consul,  had  struck,  in 
consequence  of  the  violation  of  neutrality  above  mentioned, 
was  hoisted  in  the  presence  of  the  foreign  agents,  and  saluted 
from  the  castle  with  thirty-one  guns.  In  addition  to  the  satis- 
faction thus  obtained,  for  unprovoked  aggressions,  the  com- 
modore had  the  pleasure  of  obtaining  the  release  of  ten  cap- 
tives, two  Danes  and  eight  Neapolitans,  the  latter  of  whom 
he  landed  at  Messina. 

Alter  touching  at  Messina  and  Naples,  the  squadron  sailed 
for  Carthagena  on  the  31st  of  August,  where  Commodore  De- 
cajer  was  in  expectation  of  meeting  the  relief  squadron,  un- 
der Commodore  Bainbridge.  On  joining  that  officer  at  Gib- 
raltar, he  relinquished  his  command,  and  sailed  in  the  (iuer- 
rifre  for  the  United  States,  where  he  arrived  on  the  liith  of 
November,  1815. 

Every  thing  being  done  previous  to  the  arrival  of  the  sec- 
ond division  of  the  squadron,  under  Commodore  Bainbridge, 
that  gallant  officer  had  no  opportunity  of  distinguishing  him- 
self. Pursuant  to  his  instructions  he  exhibited  this  additional 
force  before  Algiers,  Tunis  and  Tripoli,  where  they  were 
somewhat  surprised  at  the  appearance  of  the  Independence 
seventy-lour.  Commodore  Bainbridge  sai.Vd  from  Gibraltar 
thirty-six  hours  before  the  Guerriere,  and  arrived  at  BostoK 
Ihc  loth  of  November 


ADDRESS     TO    THE     OCI4J" 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  OCEAN 

Likeness  of  Heaven' 

Agent  of  power; 
Man  is  thy  victim, 

Shipwreck  thy  dower^. 
Spices  and  jewels 

From  valley  and  sea. 
Armies  and  banners, 
Are  buried  in  thee! 

What  are  the  riches 

Of  Mexico's  mines, 
To  the  wealth  that  far  down 

In  thy  deep  waters  shine? 
The  proud  navies  that  cover 

The  conquering  west — 
Thou  fiing'st  them  to  death 

With  one  heave  of  thy  breast 

From  the  high  hills  that  view 

Thy  wreck  making  shore, 
When  the  bride  of  the  mariner 

Shrieks  at  thy  roar, 
When  like  lambs  in  the  tempest 

Or  mews  in  the  blast, 
On  thy  ridge  broken  billows 

The  canvas  is  cast — 

How  humbling  to  one, 

With  a  heart  and  a  soui, 
To  look  on  thy  greatness 

And  list  to  its  roll; 
To  think  how  that  heart 

In  cold  ashes  shall  be, 
While  the  voice  of  Eternity 

Ris*><!  from  thee? 


STUDIES  IN  ENGLISH  SPELLING. 


FIRST   LESSON. 

A  -wealthy  young  man  had  a  yacht, 
Disfigured  -with  many  a  spacht, 
SAPOLIO  he  tried, 
Which,  as  soon  as  applied, 
Immediately  took  out  the  lacht ! 

SECOND   LESSON. 

Our  girl  o'er  the  housework  would 

sigh, 

Till  SAPOLIO  I  urged  her  to  trigh, 
Now  she  changes  her  tune, 
For  she's  done  work  at  nune, 
Which  accounts  for  the  light  in  her 
eigh  ! 

THIRD  LESSON. 

There's  many  a  domestic  embroglio — 
To  describe  which  would  need  quite 

a  foglio, 

Might  oft  be  prevented 
If  the  housewife  consented 
To  clean   out  the*house  with  SA- 
POGLIO ! 


FOURTH   LESSON. 

Maria's  poor  fingers  would  ache, 
When  the  housework  in  hand  she 
would  tache, 

But  her  pains  were  allayed, 

When  SAPOLIO'S  aid, 
Her  labor  quite  easy  did  mache ! 

FIFTH   LESSON. 

We  have  heard  of  some  marvelous 
soaps, 

Whose  worth  has  exceeded  our  hoaps. 
But  it  must  be  confest, 
That  SAPOLIO'S  the  best 

For  with  grease  spots  it  easily  coaps! 

SIXTH   LESSON. 

The  wife  of  a  popular  colonel 
Whose  troubles  with  "helps"  were 

etolonel 

Now  her  leisure  enjoys 
For  the  "  new  girl "  employs 
SAPOLIO  in  housework  diolonel! 


INTESTINAL  TORPOR  AND  KINDRED  EVILS 

Relieved   "Without   Drugs. 

The  sufferer  from  Constipation  and  Piles  should  test  the  GLUTEN  SUPPOSI- 
TORIES which  cure  most  cases  by  INCREASING  THE  NUTRITION  OF  THE  PABTS,  thus 
inducing  desire  and  strengthening  the  power  of  expulsion. 

-OREAD    THE    EVIDENCE.  [  — 

DR.  A.  W.  THOMPSON,  Northampton,  Mass.,  says:  "I  have  tested  the  Gluten  Supposi- 
tories, and  consider  them  valuable,  as,  indeed,  I  expected  from  the  excellence  of  their 
theory." 

DB.  WM.  TOD  HELMUTH  declares  the  Gluten  Suppositories  to  be  "  the  best  remedy  for 
constipation  which  I  have  ever  prescribed.'' 

"AsSancho  Panza  said  of  sleep,  so  say  I  of  your  Gluten  Suppositories:  God  bless 
the  man  who  invented  them  !" — E.  L.  KIPLET.  Burlington,  Vt. 

' '  I  have  been  a  constipated  dyspeptic  for  many  years,  and  the  effect  has  been  to  reduce 
me  in  flesh,  and  to  render  me  liable  to  no  little  nerve  prostration  and  sleeplessness,  es- 
pecially after  preaching  or  any  special  mental  effort.  The  use  of  Gluten  Suppositories, 
made  by  the  Health  Food  Co.,  74  Fourth  Avenue,  New  York,  has  relieved  the  constipated 
habit,  and  their  Gluten  and  Brain  Food  have  secured  for  me  new  powers  of  digestion, 
and  the  ability  to  sleep  soundly  and  think  clearly.  I  believe  their  food-remedies  to  be  wor- 
thy of  the  high  praise  whicli  they  are  receiving  on  all  sides." — KEV.  JOHN  H.  PATON,  Mich. 

"I  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  the  Health  Food  Company's  Gluten  Suppositories,  as 
they  have  been  a  perfect  God-send  to  me.  I  believe  them  superior  to  anything  ever 
devised  for  the  relief  of  constipation  and  hemorrhoids.  I  have  suffered  from  these 
evils  more  than  twenty  years,  and  have  at  last  found  substantial  relief  through  the 
use  of  the  Gluten  Suppositories."— CYRUS  BRADBUBY,  Hopedale,  Mass. 

Send  for  all  our  HEALTH  FOOD    LITERATURE. 

HEAJLTH     FOOD     COMPANY, 
4th  Ave.  &  10th  St.,  adjoining  Stewart's,  New  York. 


R  E. 


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THE    "WEALTH    OF    NATIONS. 

AN  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  NATURE  AND  CAUSES  OF  THE  WEALTH 
OF  NATIONS.  By  ADAM  SMITH,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.  This  volume  is  a  careful  reprint 
of  the  three-  volume  edition. 


ADAM    SMITH'S    ESSAYS. 


Dancing,  Poetry,"  "The  External  Senses,"  "English,  and  Italian  Verses,"  &c. 
ADAM  SMITH,  LL.D.,  F.R.S. 

McCULLOCH'S   POLITICAL  ECONOMY. 

THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  POLITICAL  ECONOMY-with  a  sketch  of  the 
Rise  and  Progress  of  the  Science.  By  J.  B.  JIcCuLLOCH.  With  an  Essay  on  In- 
terest, and  the  Value  of  Money.  By  JOHN  LOCKE. 

MONTAIGNE'S    ESSAYS. 

THE  ESSAYS  OF  MICHAEL  SEIGKEUR  DE  MONTAIGNE,  with 
Stoics  and  Quotations,  and  an  Account  of  the  Author's  Life,  translated  into  English. 

by  CHAT7LE3  COLTON,  Esq. 

BOLINGBROKE  ON  THE  STUDY  AND  USE  OF  HISTORY. 

LETTERS  ON  THE  STUDY  AND  USE  OF  HISTORY:  "On  Exile," 
"The  Spirit  of  Patriotism,"  "The  Idea  of  a  Patriot  King,"  "Tie  State  of  Parties  in 
1744."  By  HKNBY  ST.  JOHN,  Lord  Viscount  Bolingbroke. 

HUME'S    ESSAYS. 

ESSAYS,— LITERARY,  MORAL,  AND  POLITICAL.  By  DAVID  HUMS 
(tho  historian). 

SIDNEY    SMITH'S    ESSAYS. 

ESSAYS,— SOCIAL  AND  POLITICAL.    By  Rev.  SIDNEY  SMITH. 

MILMAN'S   HISTORY   OF   THE  JEWS. 

HISTORY  OF  THE  JEWS.   By  H.  H.  MTT.MAN,  D.D.,  late  Dean  of  St.  Haul's. 

HALLAM'S    EUROPE. 

VIEW  OF  THE  STATE  OF  EUROPE  DURING  THE  MIDDLE  AGES. 

By  HENBY  HAT.T.A-I^  LL.D.,  F.R.A.S. 

LOCKE    ON   THE   HUMAN   UNDERSTANDING. 

AN  ESSAY  CONCERNING  THE  HUMAN  UNDERSTANDING.    Br 

JOHN  LOCKE.    With  the  Notes  and  Illustrations  of  the  author,  and  an  Analysis  of 
his  Doctrine  of  Ideas.    Also,  Questions  on  Locke's  Essay,  for  the  use  of  students. 

D'AUBIGNE'S  HISTORY  OF  THE  REFORMATION. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  REFORMATION  OF  THE  SIXTEENTH 
CENTURY,  from  its  commencement  to  the  days  of  Calvin.  By  J.  H.  MEELB 
D'AtfBWNE,  D.D.  Translated  from  the  author's  kite  French  edition. 

MILTON'S   EARLY   BRITAIN,  &C. 

BRITAIN  UNDER  TROJAN,  RO>IAN,  AND  SAXON  RULE.    By  JOHN 

Mn/TON. ENGLAND  UNDER  RICHARD  HL     By  Sir  THOMAS  MOEE. 

THE  REIGN  OF  HENRY  VII.    By  Lord  BACON.    Three  books  bound  in  one 

volume. 

ESSAYS   ON   BEAUTY  AND   TASTE. 

ESSAY  ON  BEAUTY.     By  FEANCIS   [Lord]  JEFFEEY ESSAY    ON 

TASTE.    By  AECHTBALD  ALISON,  LL.D.    The  two  books  in  one  volume. 


POPULAR  DICTIONARY 

CONTAINING 

EVERY  USEFUL  WORD 

To  be  found  in  the  English  Language,  with  its 
TEUE   MEANING,   DERIVATION,    SPELLING   AND   PBONTJNOIATIOST, 

A1SO,  A  VAST  AMOUNT  OP 
ABSOLUTELY     NECESSARY    IS  FORMATION 

UPON 

Scfence,  Mythology,  Biography,  American  History,  Constitution*,  Laws,  Land  TiCet, 

Cities,  Colleges,  Army  and  Navy,  Rate  of  Mortality,  Growth  of  Cities, 

Insolvent  and  Assignment  Laws,  Debts,  Rates  of  Interest, 

and  other  Useful  Knowledge,  being  a 

PERFECT  LIBRARY  OF  REFERENCE  IN  ONE  HANDY  VOLUME. 

The  publishers  of  the  AMERICAN  POPULAR  DICTIONARY  claim  forh  the  rap- 
port of  the  public,  for  the  following  among  many  other  important  reasons  : — 

It  contains  EVERY  WORD  OF  THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE  that  enters  into  speech  or  writing. 

THE  SPELLING  of  eanh  word  is  precisely  that  given  by  the  best  authorities. 

THE  DEFINITIONS  are  compiled  from  a  majority  of  the  best  writers  ofth    English  language. 

THE  PRONUNCIATION  of  every  word  is  that  settled  upon  by  the  ablest  masters  of  this  most  im- 
portant branch  of  Grammar. 

In  addition  to  the  perfections-of  this  work  as  a  Dictionary, itcontains  a  vast  amount-nfinformatlon 
upon  MANY  KINDS  OF  USEFUL  KNOWLEDGE  not  to  be  found  in  any  similar  work;  but  all 
ABSOLUTELY  NECESSARY  to  every  on<3  who  wishes  to  be  acquainted  with  the  leading  subjects  of  co»- 
Tersatioa  and  composition. 

By  reference  to  tne  annexed  TABLE  OF  CONTESTS  it  will  be  found  that  the  book'ts  really  a  co» 
cise  and  portable  Cyclopedia  of  very  useful  and  valuable  information.  From  it  a  speaker  or  writer  can 
glean  an  amount  of  real  knowledge  impossible  to  find  elsewhere  collected  in  one  book. 

THE  AHERICAN  POPULAR  DICTIONARY  is  printed  from  new  type,  with  extra  clear  and  legible 
face.  It  is.bound  very  strongly  and  neatly. 

OF*    CONTENTS. 

26.  The  Municipal  Debts  of  the  United  8tat««. 

27.  Theological  Seminaries  In  the  United  States, 

28.  Occupations  of  the  People  of  the  U.  S. 

29.  Army  of  the  United  States,  with  rates  of  pay. 

80.  Navy  of  the  United  States,  with  rates  of  pay. 

81.  Vivy- yards  of  the  United  States. 

82.  Number  of  Hen  raised  by  each  State  for  th« 

suppression  of  the  Rebellion. 

83.  Churches  in  the  United  States,  with  statistics. 


1.  A  Complete  Dictionary  of  tbe  Eng.  Language. 

2.  A  Complete  List  of  Scripture  Proper  Names, 

including  Apocrypha,  and  their  pronuncia- 
tion. 

5.  American  Geographical  Names,  with  their  der- 

ivation, signification,  and  their  pronuncia- 
tion. 
4.  Nickname*  of  the  States  and  Cities  of  theC.  S. 

6.  The  Discovery  and  Discoverers  of  America. 

6.  The  Aborigines  of   North  America,  showing 

their  tribes,  location  and  number. 

7.  Early  Settler*  and  Settlements  of  the  Cuited 

States—  nationility,  location,  date, 

8.  Troops  of  the  American  Re  volution,  nowlng 

the  number  each  State  furnished. 
1).  Battles  and  Losses  of  the  Revolution. 

10.  The  Declaration  of  Independence. 

11.  The  Signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 

ence. 
13.  The  Presidents  of  the  Continental  Congress, 

13.  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

14.  History  of  the  American  Flue. 

15.  Area  and  Population  of  the  United  States. 

16.  Population  of  all  Cities  and  Towns  in  the  U. 


S.  having  a  population  of  ov 
17,  Growth  of  American  Cities  h 
of  50,000  and  upward. 


10,000. 
ving  a  popula- 


IS. Public  Debt  of  the  United  States,  1701  to  1879. 

19.  The  Amount  of  Paper  Money  in  the  United 

States,  of  each  denomination. 

20.  Analysis  of  the   Public  Debt  of  the  United 

States. 

81.  United  States  Public  Lands—  where  they  He. 
2-J.  The  United  States  Public  Land  System. 
93.  Free  Home»trad*  on  the  Public  Lands,  or  how 

to  secure  a  homestead. 

S4.  Homestead  and  Exemption  Laws  of  the  U.  S. 
tt.  The  Canals  of  the  United  States—  their  length, 

connecting  points,  number  of  locks,  co§t,ir. 
Strongly  boumd  in  eltth,  gilt  back. 


84.  Pric 


oditie 


r  tbe  past  fifty  year 


85.  Statutes  of  Limitations  of  the  various  States. 

86.  Interest  Laws  in  the  United  States. 

87.  Insolvent  and  Assignment  Laws  of  the  differ- 

ent States. 

88.  Newspapers  and  Periodicals  In  theU.  S. 

39.  Heads  of  the  principal  nations  of  the  world. 

40.  The  Carlisle  Tables,  showing  how  many  pet- 

sons  out  of  10,000  will  die  annually. 

41.  The  Railroads  of  the  World— length,  cost,  &r. 

42.  Commerce,  Debts,  &c.,  of  the  principal  nations 

43.  National  Debts  of  the  various  countries. 

44.  The  Merchant  Shipping  of  the  world. 

45.  The  Dominion  of  Canada,  revenue,  trade,  Ac. 
10.  The  Armies  of  the  world. with  full  particulars 
47.  The'Navleo  of  the  world-numbers,  cost,  Ac. 
49.  Foreign  Gold  and  Silver  Coins— value.  Ac. 

49.  Weights  and  Measures  of  the  United  States. 

50.  General    Councils    of    the    Roman    Catholl* 

Church. 

51.  Chronological  History  of  the  United  States. 

52.  List  of  Mythological  and  Classical  Names. 

53.  Interest  Tables,  at  4, 5. 6,  7,  8  and  10  per  et. 

54.  Examples  of  the  Common  Errors  in  Speaking 

and  Writing,  with  Corrtctlons. 

55.  A  Guide  to  the  Pronunciation  of  Hard  Words, 

in  the  English  and  other  languages. 

56.  A  List  of  Objectionable  Words  and  Phrases, 

and  Inaccurate  Expressions. 

Sent  to  any  address  on  receipt  of  prio*. 


Price  5O  Cents. 
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INSTRUMENTAL  MUSIC  MADE  EAST. 


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LIBRARY 


L  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


Grand,  Square  and  Upright 


Are  at  present  the  most  popular 


AND   PREFERRED   BY    THE   LEADING   ARTISTS. 


The  SOHMER   Pianos  are  used  In  the 
fallowing  Institutions: 

Convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  Manhattan- 

ville,  N.  Y. 

Vogt's  Conservatory  of  Music. 
Arnold's  Conservatory  of  Music, 

Brooklyn. 

Philadelphia  Conservatory  of  Music. 
Villa  de  Sales  Convent,  Long  Island. 
N.  Y.  Normal  Conservatory  of  Music. 
Villa  Maria  Convent,  Mont'l. 
Vassar  College,  Poughkeepsio. 
And  most  all  the  leading  first-class  theaters 
in  NEW  YORK  and  BROOKLYN. 


THE  WONDERFUL  BIJGU  GRAND 

(lately  patented)  by  SOIIWER  &  CO., 
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Received  First  Prize  at  Exhibition,  Montreal,  Canada,  1881  and  1882. 

SOHMER    &    CO., 

MANUFACTURERS    OF    GRAND.    SQUAEE  AND     DPKIGHT    PIANOFORTE^ 

WAREROOMS,  149,  151,  153,  155  EAST  UTU  ST.,  N.  Y. 


